“I learned about it just a few hours ago from Hadas Jaoui-Kalderon, his former wife,” tells on the phone, to Liberation, Ifat Kalderon. Ofer Kalderon’s cousin reacts to the statements, taken up by Emmanuel Macron this Friday, January 17, announcing the release of two Franco-Israeli hostages, including Ofer, 54, from the first phase of the truce between Israel and Hamas. Hoping for from Sunday, perhaps Monday, the ceasefire was announced on Wednesday, but the Israeli government must still approve it this Friday, January 17. Endless days of waiting and “stressful” for those who have been hoping for more than fifteen months for the return of their loved ones held in the hands of Hamas.
The relief is not complete for this family member living in Israel: “I have no news on his situation or state of health. I don’t even know if he’s alive or dead, I just hope he’s alive.” But even if he were brought back alive, Ifat Kalderon fears the state his cousin will return to. “I am afraid that the hostages are in worse health than those of the first truce in November 2023. I think we should expect to have a shocking picture and that their condition is not good.” She just hopes that her health will allow her to do so. “join as quickly as possible. Even in the hospital.”
“I won’t believe it until they all appear before my eyes”
Although we do not yet have any details of the terms of their releases or the precise day, this ardent activist for the release of the hostages is convinced that “sare four children [d’Ofer, ndlr] will be present at the border. Two of them were also kidnapped in Gaza for 52 days. Before their release, under the demands of their father who was in the same tunnel, and who “didn’t want to die in Gaza”they promised him to “fight for himself and others”, confides to us the one who scoured the demonstrations against Benyamin Netanyahu. “He asked us to do everything for their release, she said. And that’s what we did, we mobilized, we demonstrated and this fight will not stop immediately. Even after Ofer is released”. Because, even if he was among the first to be released, “all, without exception, must return”she continues.
A determination which does not prevent him from expressing reservations about the continuation of the release phases. “I’m afraid they’ll be compromised.” she worries, while the Israeli far right is still fighting to derail the agreement. “I won’t believe what we’re going through until they’re all in front of me. We can’t just have a few. If they all don’t return, Israel will have no future.” she concludes.
