“He is a cabinetmaker, very handy. In the kibbutz, he is a bit of a handyman. A nice boy, close to nature, a big fan of mountain biking.” Thus Olivier Jaoui, trainer in Paris, describes Ofer Kalderon, husband of his cousin Hadas. This Franco-Israeli, now aged 54, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, in southern Israel, on October 7, 2023, like his children Erez, 12, and Sahar, 16. They were released in November 2023. Not Ofer Kalderon, who is today one of the last two Franco-Israeli hostages held in Gaza, with Ohad Yahalomi, 50 years old.
The two men are, according to the Élysée, among the 33 hostages to be handed over to the Israeli authorities during the first phase of the ceasefire signed between Israel and Hamas. An agreement whose application began this Sunday, January 20 with the release of the first three hostages. “Sud Ouest” contacted Olivier Jaoui, member of the Les amis de Nir Oz collective, this weekend to find out how families are experiencing the implementation of this still fragile truce.
Olivier Jaoui
J. R. / SO
The ceasefire, “provisional” recalled Benjamin Netanyahu, came into force this Sunday. What state of mind are the parents of the hostages in?
We are obviously relieved that the agreement has finally been signed, and that it can be implemented. But we remain worried because we have no information on the hostages who will be released, in particular on Ofer’s situation. I spoke with his wife, Hadas, on Saturday, she knows nothing, neither about his condition, nor even if he will soon be released. The only certainty at this stage is that initially, 33 hostages, out of the 96 still detained in Gaza, are “releasable”. But this first phase extends over 42 days: they will be released slowly. We saw this Sunday that Hamas refuses to publish the full list. The names of the released hostages will be communicated day by day. The wait is all the more trying as Hamas has also refused to indicate who, among these 33 hostages, is alive and who is dead. We really have the impression that they want to do as much harm as possible until the end. For families, psychological torture continues.
During these fifteen months of detention, did you have any news from Ofer Kalderon?
The latest information dates back to November 2023, when his children were released. He was seen at that time. He was alive and injured in the leg. Since then, nothing. If he is still alive, we also wonder in what state, health, psychological.
“We don’t know who among the hostages is dead and who is alive”
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How are his children doing since their release?
Not well, especially his son Erez, now 13 years old. He struggles to return to normal schooling, cannot stand a door being closed, for fear of seeing a terrorist appear, and is afraid of the night. Sahar, 17, is doing better, but she says her thoughts are constantly on Gaza with her father. Not only were they kidnapped and detained for a month, but upon their return they learned that their grandmother Carmela and their cousin Noya had been machine-gunned on October 7, and that a quarter of the residents of their kibbutz, Nir Oz, was decimated or seriously injured. The after-effects are considerable.
Are you in contact with the Élysée? What weight did France’s voice have in the development of this ceasefire?
Emmanuel Macron called on Saturday the families of the two Franco-Israeli hostages, including my cousin Hadas (1). But I don’t think his voice counted in the process that led to this truce. Everything was played out between Americans, Qataris, Israelis, and representatives of Hamas.
In Israel, three ministers from the far-right Jewish Force party resigned this weekend to protest against this ceasefire and the release of a thousand Palestinian prisoners. How do you view this new political situation?
A part of Israeli public opinion does not accept that the State releases Palestinian terrorists. On site, my family and their friends from the left-wing kibbutz are fierce opponents of the current government, of this alliance with the far right, they are often very critical of Netanyahu. But we think that he was obviously right to sign, that this agreement is necessary. It is a relief for families, finally.
(1) “The President of the Republic expressed his determination to ensure, in full coordination with the mediators and the State of Israel, the full and complete implementation of this process” of liberation, said Sunday the Elysium.
