Dark clouds overshadow the Hanukkah celebration of the Jakov family. A traditional candle ceremony and song take your worries away, but only for a moment.
Janiv Yakov’s older brother, Jair Yakov, 59, is still a prisoner of the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza.
The older brother’s teenage sons and spouse have been released.
– 68 days… it’s really hard to stay strong for so long, sighs Janiv Jakov.
met Janiv at the beginning of October just three days after the hijacking. He showed a Hamas video of the hijacking situation, based on which he knew about the brother’s fate.
Older brother Jair lived with his family in the Nir Oz kibbutz near the Gaza border. The kibbutz is among those attacked by Hamas, killing ordinary civilians and taking them hostage.
Hamas attacked various targets in Israel on October 7, killing more than 1,200 and taking 240 hostages in its brutal operation.
The two months since the attack have been an emotional roller coaster. Janiv’s wife, Lori, tells how the brief moments of hope turn to despair at this.
Janiv and Lori Jakov have elementary school-aged children.
– Answering the children’s questions has been the most difficult. They don’t understand that this kind of thing can happen, says Lori.
Part of the family was released
The biggest moment of joy was the release of older brother Jair’s teenage sons Jagil and Ori and spouse Mirav in a prisoner exchange during the ceasefire a week and a half ago.
– I cried hysterically. I couldn’t believe it was happening, Janiv recalls.
A total of 105 hostages taken by Hamas were released. There are 135 hostages in Gaza. 116 of them are believed to be alive.
The nephews are physically fine, but mental recovery takes time, Janiv says.
– For security reasons, we have been forbidden to tell the details of what they experienced in Gaza, but it has been really tough, Janiv says.
Kibbutz residents are unable to return
The 13- and 16-year-old nephews who were in captivity are in a hotel in Eilat with their mother.
A large part of the residents of the Nir Oz kibbutz are there in evacuees.
Janiv shows a video of his brother’s family home in the kibbutz. There is a hole in the wall, and the house looks badly destroyed anyway.
Hamas terrorists blew a hole in the wall when they kidnapped the family members.
– It is too difficult for the residents of the kibbutz to visit there. That’s why we have picked up goods for them there, Janiv says.
Publicity for the unburdened
The month and a half imprisonment in Gaza affected everyone, but in different ways, Janiv says.
According to Janiv, the older of the teenage boys has withdrawn. He doesn’t want to go out of the hotel.
On the street, many recognize him as a result of the great media attention, and he does not want to talk about the events.
– Little brother is more open and likes to talk about events. He doesn’t mind being recognized.
According to Janiv, mental recovery takes time. In Eilat, the boys are surrounded by the people of their own kibbutz. It helps recovery.
– Mirav is shocked and scared. He doesn’t like to leave the house either, Janiv says.
There is no information about the older brother
Janiv will not rest until her brother is freed.
A couple of weeks ago, he received a photo taken by Hamas on his cell phone. It shows how seriously Jair was wounded on the day of the abduction.
– The picture is difficult to look at. I haven’t shown it to my mother. Jair was beaten by Hamas, and in an explosion he injured his leg.
Mirav and the boys were taken captive by Hamas to a different location than Jair, and none of the freed hostages saw Jair in Gaza.
– We would like information about him. Were his injuries treated? What condition is he in? Janiv asks desperately.
He doesn’t want to and can’t think of the worst option.
Big brother has always been Janiv’s role model.
– Jair dreams of traveling to different parts of the world in a motorhome. Anyone who ran into him in the world would be lucky. He is a bright and warm person. He if anyone wanted peace, Janiv tells about his older brother.
According to Janiv, the older brother chose the profession of a farmer at a young age and made his home a kibbutz right on the Gaza border.
In the last few days, information has leaked out that some of the supposed abductees have died for various reasons. It’s possible that big brother is one of them, but Janiv wants to think otherwise.
– I believe he will come back and we can hug him.