'Our security agencies are debriefing and asking questions and trying to learn as much as possible from these women and children,' he said. 'They want to leverage each and every Israeli in their captivity for political pressure,' Conricus said.Ĭonricus said the IDF has indications that Hamas has been moving hostages during the truce period. 'The daughter tells us that they were together up until two days before the release,' Conricus said, adding he believes Hamas kept Raaya Rotem to maintain leverage. When the IDF asked about Hila's mother, Hamas claimed they did not know where she is, Conricus said. 'They were supposed to not split families, but they released a teenaged girl and they kept her mother, Raaya, in captivity,' IDF spokesperson Lt. On Saturday, 13-year-old Hila Rotem was freed without her mother Raaya Rotem despite demands from Israeli officials. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is claiming Hamas violated the terms of the truce by releasing a teenage girl without her mother. Hostages and Missing Families Forum via AP Hamas eventually kidnapped Omri, while Lishai and their daughters survived.Īn undated photo of Hila Rotem. Lavi's sister, Lishai Lavi, her husband Omri and their two young daughters were at home in Nahal Oz when Hamas gunmen broke into their homes during the October 7th attack and held them hostage. 'Those who are in the Gaza Strip are someone's sons, someone's fathers, someone's grandparents and brothers and they're not merely men, they are meaningful human beings to someone else and I hope that we will see them back,' he said. 'It's mixed emotions, but we are delighted that at least we see the beginning or possibly the end of the hostage crisis,' Lavi told CNN.Īll those released so far under the terms of the deal struck between Israel and Hamas have been women or children, putting the greatest strain on family members with male relatives held hostage. The past few days have been an 'emotional rollercoaster', Lavi said, seeing photos and videos of freed hostages being reunited with their families, while at the same time knowing there are hostages still in Gaza that have yet to be released. Lavi said the family had received a call from a representative for the Israeli authorities confirming Miran was alive, but that no further details were provided. 'Receiving this proof of life has been instrumental for us and will give us strength and hope to continue our mission until Omri returns, until everyone is home.' It was a relief for us to learn that,' Moshe Lavi told CNN's Kaitlan Collins. 'An hour and a half ago, my sister called me with tears of joy because Omri, my brother-in-law, was confirmed to be alive as of this morning.

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