A New York City woman has revealed two of her Israeli cousins were among the dozens of hostages who were finally freed Friday — nearly seven weeks after they were taken captive by Hamas terrorists.
Alana Zeitchik, 38, took to Instagram to share an image of her relatives — Danielle Aloni, 44, and her 5-year-old daughter Amelia — getting out of an emergency vehicle after they were among those released as part of a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas.
“There you are my loves. Dani and Amelia. We are waiting for you!” the elated Brooklyn resident wrote.
The freed mother-daughter-duo are among Zeitchik’s six cousins who were taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct 7 terrorist attack.
Zeitchik’s four other relatives — Sharon and David Cunio and their 3-year-old twins, Emma and Julie — were still being held captive as on Friday.
“I feel there is some light; my heart is screaming. We are crying and crying. To see them returning is indescribable; it’s also bittersweet,” Zeitchik later told journalist Yashar Ali.
Danielle Aloni, 44, and her 5-year-old daughter Amelia were among the Israeli hostages freed on Friday.
“Partly because we are still waiting for four more family members to return and also because we know how much trauma they are carrying. Many emotions all at the same time. I am thinking about my aunt; I can’t wait for her to hold them.”
Danielle and her daughter had been visiting the Cunio family at their home in Kibbutz Oz in southern Israel when they were all snatched nearly seven weeks ago, according to Zeitchik.
Soon after the Hamas terrorists stormed the region, social media videos emerged that appeared to show the two families on the back of a truck with their abductors.
“I can see my cousin’s back of her hair, my cousin’s daughter Amelia, and David holding one of the twins,” Zeitchik told Pix11 last month of the moment she watched the video.
“I have to believe in my soul that they’re still alive,” she added at the time.
Brooklyn woman Alana Zeitchik, 38, took to Instagram to share an image of her relatives getting out of an emergency vehicle.
In the wake of the attack, Zeitchik and her family created an Instagram account — titled “Bring Our Family Home” — to raise awareness of their plight and have been lobbying the US to step in and help rescue them.
Her relatives were among the 24 hostages were released during the first day of the war’s first truce.
Thirteen Israeli women and children were handed over to the Red Cross and to an Egyptian security team assisting their release.
Aloni and her daughter were among the hostages were released during the first day of the war’s first truce. Al-Qahera NewsTen Thai nationals and one Filipino citizen being held in Gaza were also freed, Qatar Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari confirmed.
With Post wires
