'Won't celebrate until the last of the hostages returns': says family member of freed hostage Yoni Asher

Tel Aviv, Nov 25

Yoni Katz Asher, whose wife and two daughters have returned from the captivity of Hamas, has said that he won't celebrate their release until the last of the hostages is back home.

Speaking to IANS, he said, "My family - Doron, Raz, and Aviv have returned home from captivity. I am determined to help my family recover from the terrible trauma and loss we went through, for my daughters and my wife's future. Difficult days are still ahead of me."

"This is a moment of celebration but I will not do that until our last hostage is back home," he said.

He further said that he must express thanks and appreciation to the brave sons of the IDF who were risking their lives to protect the nation.

Asher also thanked the Israeli government and the War Cabinet who are engaged in the task of protecting the nation.

He said, "Thank you to the wonderful Israeli people for the support. Great thanks to the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters who work to return them all."

"I am happy that I received my family back, it's allowed to feel joy and it's allowed to shed a tear. That's a human thing. But I am not celebrating, I will not celebrate until the last of the hostages returns home."

He said that he wanted to emphasise that the Israeli children, fathers, mothers, and sisters are currently hostages, there are people whose hearts are breaking at this time and wanted to ensure that each and every hostage returns home.

He said, "The families of hostages are not posters, they are not slogans, they are real people."

Yoni also added that the families of the hostages were his new family and that he would do everything to ensure the last hostage returned home safely.

His family was released as part of part of the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas that includes the release of at least 50 Israeli hostages overall. Israel will release 150 Palestinian women and children from its prisons under the deal.