Maya Regev, 21, and her younger brother Itay, 18, were abducted by Hamas operatives who stormed the Tribe of Nova music festival in southern Israel on October 7. While Maya was among the 17 hostages freed by Hamas on day 2 of the truce, her brother still hasn't been released.
"My heart is split because my son, Itay, is still in Hamas' captivity in Gaza," says their Mirit Regev as she hugs Maya after nearly 50.
Maya was among the first hostages captured by Hamas from the music festival. Originally from Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, Maya and Itay had returned to Israel the previous day after celebrating their mother's birthday abroad.
She was hit by gunfire while on the phone with their father, who tried in vain to locate their position.
"Dad, come here. They're shooting at me, I'm dying," was what Maya screamed when she called her dad Ilan Regev at 8.58 am on October 7. He told her to hide, but she could not heed his call.
He immediately rushed towards the venue of the concert but was stopped by roadblocks and had to turn back.
A few hours later, the siblings were seen in a video circulating online tied to the back of a pick-up truck.
"They went to a party to enjoy themselves. I don't care about politics, I just want my children back healthy, and in one piece," Ilan told the Times of Israel.
Their mother, Mirit, describes them as a fun-loving duo to loves to make plans. "She (Maya) loves life, she makes plans, she leads and brings others with her. Itay, he loves to surf, to laugh, to live," she told Times of Israel.
Maya was among the 13 Israelis who were reunited with their families after the second release of hostages from Hamas captivity in exchange for Palestinian prisoners on Sunday. She was immediately taken to a hospital to treat a leg injury.
Israel has unleashed its military might on the small, crowded Gaza Strip after 1,200 Israelis died and over 200 were captured in the October 7 attack. At least 15,000 people have been killed, according to the health ministry run by Hamas.
The transfer of the hostages is the first stage in the second day of exchanges between Israel and Hamas and is part of an agreement that involves a four-day cessation of fighting and a flow of more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Featured Video Of The Day
On Kargil War Diwas, PM Modi vs Congress Over Agnipath Scheme
180,000 Gazans Displaced In 4 Days As Israeli Aggression Continues "Where Should We Go": Gazans Forced To Shelter In Former Prison Amid War Israel Slams UN Expert For "Anti-Semitism" Over Hitler-Netanyahu Comparison Mamata Banerjee's Big Claim Over Key Meet Fact-Checked By Centre Why Was Woman In Bengaluru Hostel Murdered? What Initial Probe Reveals Boyfriend Stabs 20-Year-Old To Death Near Mumbai, Dumps Body In Bushes: Cops S Jaishankar Urges International Community To Add Terror In All Its Forms Killer Whales Sink Yacht In Mediterranean Sea In Harrowing 2-Hour Attack French Rail Chief Says Trains To Run Normally From Monday After Sabotage Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.