Families in Israel continue to pray for the release of hostages as the war between Israel and Hamas continues.
The war, which has been going on for 6 months, has Israeli families clamoring for their loved ones to come home, including Liran Berman, whose twin brothers remain under hostage by Hamas.
"A roller coaster of emotions. Mostly hellish," he told CBN News. "We have no good days, we have ok moments."
Berman has traveled virtually non-stop to share his story, carrying around his neck with the following message: “Bring them home.”
At the present time, there are about 134 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza ever since they launched an attack on Israel on October 7. Bermon and others like him are urging Qatair leaders to tell Hamas to release the hostages.
"We know that they are the key players who can facilitate a deal and we saw they facilitated the first deal," Berman explained.
Simona Steinbreacher is someone else who’s loved one was taken from Hamas on October 7. In January, her daughter and two other Israeli hostages were featured in a video release by Hamaas.
"My life stopped on October 7th and all I do now is to fight for her life," said Steinbrecher.
Meanwhile, thousands of Israelis are calling on Israeli Prime Minister Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strike a deal to release the hostages.
Additionally, about 400 people from the Kibbutz Kfar Aza have been living in Shefayim Hotel, just north of Tel Aviv, after the October 7th attack. Mobile homes have also been set up next to the hotel to make way for more families.
Roughly 52 residents of Kibbutz Kfar Aza were killed by the terror group on October 7th, including the parents of Keren Flash.
"They're not coming back and there's nothing I can do and no one that can help me bring them back," she said. "So for me, supposedly I can start healing, but it's not possible because this is not just me."
On Wednesday, Kibbutz residents asked a Swiss Red Cross delegate visiting the hotel asking why the aid organization has not exerted more diplomatic pressure on Hamas.
Manuel Bessler, a Red Cross official, told CBN News that the group has been preoccupied with other matters.
"If the authorities, whoever they are, state actors, non-state actors, don't give the Red Cross access, yes, then we cannot help, it's basic as that," he said.
Earlier this week, an Israeli team returned from Cairo following negotiations with Hamas to release the hostage in exchange for a ceasefire. However, both sides have not yet reached an agreement.
Image credit: ©GettyImages/PeterPencil
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
