NYC Mother and Children Could Be Released in Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal
November 22, 2023
A mother and her three young children with ties to New York who are being held hostage in Gaza could be part of the group released after a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas was struck. The deal, announced late Tuesday night, allows for the release of 50 people, with women and children expected to be released first. A list of the hostages to be freed has not been publicly released, leaving families waiting anxiously for any word.Nave Strauss said, adding that he doesn’t know for certain if his cousin, Hagar Brodutch, and her three children are dead or alive.They were last seen being led away by Hamas after they were kidnapped on Oct. 7. “I’m also frustrated that part of this agreement is that Israel has to release so many more people than we’re getting back,” he said. “… I’m certainly so happy that some hostages will be returned, but why not all of them? Strauss and countless other family and loved ones of the hostages are waiting in uncertainty as they anticipate more details on the hostage release. The deal comes after weeks of negotiations brokered by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. The war that followed has killed around 13,000 Palestinians. The hostage release deal will come with a four-day pause in fighting and the release of 150 Palestinian women and children being held prisoner in Israel. Hamas has not released the names of hostages it plans to release, just saying that it will let women and children go first. The group has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States.