Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Israeli hostages held by Hamas were fed bread and water, made to sleep on benches and were cut off from the rest of the world for the whole of their captivity, family members have revealed.
Speaking of the joy of having their loved ones back home safe after about 50 days in captivity in Gaza, some families said the freed hostages were seeking professional help as they will take a long time to recover from their ordeal.
Merav Mor Raviv said her cousin Keren Munder, 54, lost about "six to eight kilos" in captivity.
"She told me they ate a lot of fries and bread," Ms Raviv said during a virtual interaction with the media on Sunday.
"They had to knock on a door to use the bathroom and sometimes waited for up to one and a half hours."
Reporters were not allowed to ask questions about the conditions in which the hostages were held or their physical and emotional well-being.
Ms Raviv said her family members had been sleeping on "benches in a reception room" but said she did not know whether they were kept in underground tunnels, which the Israeli army has been bombing as part of the military campaign in the besieged enclave.
Ms Munder, 54, her son Ohad, nine, and his grandmother Ruthy, 78, were among the first batch of hostages released by Hamas under a Qatar-negotiated four-day truce that began on Friday.
Ohad's grandfather Avraham Munder is still in custody in Gaza.
The first exchange on Friday involved the release of 13 Israeli hostages, as well as 10 Thai citizens and one Filipino, who were seized by Hamas on October 7. In exchange, Israel released 39 Palestinian detainees – 24 women and 15 children.
Hamas released another group of hostages – 13 Israelis and four Thai citizens – from Gaza on Saturday, after several hours of delay, in exchange of 39 Palestinian detainees from Israeli jails.
Speaking about the impact of captivity on Ohad, who turned nine while in Gaza, Ms Munder said he was "very happy" to return home.
"He is a smart and sensitive boy. He does not understand that he has become famous all over the world," she said.
"He was talking and laughing like normal kids. He is lucky that his father and mother are alive and he has a home to return to. Many children do not have that."
Ohad and his mother were kidnapped while visiting their grandparents in Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities that bore the worst brunt of the Hamas attacks on October 7.
Released hostages were taken to hospital by Israeli authorities for check-ups.
Prof Itai Pessach, director of the Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital at Sheba Medical Centre, said the hostages were in decent health.
"I am happy to report that despite the long period that the hostages spent in the hands of Hamas, none are in need of urgent medical care. We are treating both their physical and emotional needs," Prof Pessach said in a statement.
'This means the world'
Adva Adar, granddaughter of Yaffa Adar, 85, said she "could not stop crying" when her grandmother, one of the oldest hostages that Hamas had captured, safely returned home.
A video of Yaffa, who has mobility issues as well as other health conditions, being carried off by Hamas on a golf cart went viral after the October 7 attacks.
"This means the world to us to see her with us again. I am so proud of her. She is an amazing, tough woman ... the way she survived this," said Adva.
However, Adva said Ms Adar has a long road to recovery after her house was completely destroyed.
"At her age, she should have a home and all the comforts. But she has nothing. She has to start over. It is tough for her," said Adva.
Yaffa has three children, eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren who all survived the attack.
"She thought all her family members were dead. She spoke to them over the phone and is happy."
Other Israeli families said they were grateful their loved ones have been released but their hearts were heavy as several family members remain in Hamas captivity.
Daniel Aloni and her six-year-old daughter Emilia were among the first group released.
But Daniel’s sister, Sharon Aloni Cunio, along with Sharon's three-year-old twins Emma and Yuli and their father David Cunio remain in Gaza.
Daniel and Emilia were in Kibbutz Nir Oz visiting her sister’s family for the holidays when they were abducted by Hamas.
"We are happy, so happy to get the heart of our family back, Daniel and Emilia," Daniel’s brother Moran said. "One stone is now removed from our heart but there are still missing parts of it.”
In a video released by the Aloni family, he said: "I hope that we'll see my sister Sharon, and her daughters Emma and Yuli, and her husband, my brother in law, David, as soon as possible".
Remaining hostages
Maya Regev and her brother Itay were at the Re’im music festival when they were kidnapped by Hamas gunmen.
The 21 year old was in the second group released late on Saturday, while her brother is still a hostage.
Their mother Mirit Regev said she was excited and happy to hug Maya but spoke of heartbreak that her son remained captive.
“My heart is split because my son Itay is still in Hamas's captivity in Gaza,” she said in a statement released by the family.
“We will not stop until Itay and all the hostages get back home."
The temporary truce is the first break in the relentless bombardment on Gaza that has been taking place since October 7.
Hamas is set to release 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian detainees that Israel will release, all of whom are women and children.
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')
Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier
Results
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs
Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets
Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets
Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets
Semi-finals
UAE v Qatar
Bahrain v Kuwait
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m, Winner: Zalman, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hisham Al Khalediah II, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Qader, Adrie de Vries, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Listed (PA) Dh180,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Mujeeb, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly
8pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nayslayer, Bernardo Pinheiro, Jaber Ramadhan
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
THE%20SPECS
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Switching%20sides
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
If you go
The flights
The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
The stay
Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20750hp%20at%207%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20800Nm%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%207%20Speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20332kph%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012.2L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYear%20end%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh1%2C430%2C000%20(coupe)%3B%20From%20Dh1%2C566%2C000%20(Spider)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
