Yafa Adar

Yafa Adar, an 85-year-old Nir Oz resident and Holocaust survivor, became an emblem of resilience and endurance following her abduction and subsequent release from Hamas captivity. After enduring 49 grueling days in Gaza, she was released as part of the first group of 13 hostages freed under a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Her release was a poignant moment, not just for her extensive family, consisting of three children, eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, but also for the broader community that had anxiously awaited news of her fate.

The reunion with her family at the Wolfson Hospital in the Tel Aviv district was a deeply emotional event, marked by a mixture of joy and relief. Yafa's ability to walk on her own two feet into the arms of her waiting family was a powerful testament to her strength, invoking a sense of victory reminiscent of historical triumphs for her loved ones. This moment was particularly moving for her daughter-in-law, Yael Adar, who likened the joy of seeing Yafa to the feeling of a significant national triumph.

However, the joy of Yafa's return was tempered by the ongoing captivity of her oldest grandson, Tamir Adar, 38, whose absence was a palpable shadow over the family's reunion. The family's concern for Tamir, a father of two, underscores the ongoing anguish and uncertainty faced by families of those still held by Hamas. Sadly, on January 5th the IDF was able to confirm that Tamir had been killed while defending Kibbutz Nir Oz, and his body had been taken to Gaza on October 7th.

In the wake of her ordeal, Yafa's reintegration into normal life is approached with care by her family, particularly in how they communicate the events that transpired during her captivity, including the fate of her neighbors and the continued captivity of her grandson, Tamir. This careful and gradual revelation of information highlights the family's concern for Yafa's well-being and the delicate process of healing after such a traumatic experience.