Romi Gonen was named as one of three female hostages Hamas is expected to release on Sunday as part of the hostage ceasefire deal that will see a total of 33 hostages freed in its first phase.
Romi was 23 years old when Hamas kidnapped her from the Nova Music Festival after she was shot by the terrorist invaders on October 7, 2023. Now, more than a year later, she is expected to be released as part of a ceasefire agreement.
At the time of her abduction, Romi was on the phone with her mother Meirav as she attempted to flee the scene in a vehicle with her friends.
Ben Shimoni, nicknamed the “Angel of Nova”, reportedly returned to the music festival site to save Romi and other partygoers. Shimoni was murdered by terrorists after he managed to save nine people after returning to the festival twice.
His last words were: “They shot me, mom, and I’m bleeding.” Everyone in the car is bleeding.
The car carrying the group of friends was later discovered empty and Romi’s phone was traced to Gaza.
A recording of the call, obtained exclusively by the Daily Mail, revealed terrorists were discussing whether to execute or kidnap him.
A hostage released in November told the family that Romi was alive but in poor condition. “His hand doesn’t work. His fingers barely move and change color – and that was 10 weeks ago,” the family told the Mail.
Maureen Leshem, a Canadian cousin of Romi Gonen, told the National Post on Thursday: “We haven’t heard from Romi since last November, when we learned she was alive and in desperate need of care. medical treatment due to a gunshot wound to the hand. »
“Whenever there was talk of a ceasefire, I never paid attention to it. At the very beginning I did, but then these hits, this emotional whiplash – it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen, and it’s not happening. He’s just a killer. And I don’t know if it’s a matter of survival or what, but I just chose not to entertain them. And this time I don’t know,” Leshem said. “For me, it’s the fact that President-elect Donald Trump is behind this, I think, that drives my optimism.”
Romi’s father, Eitan, told Israel’s Channel 12 on his daughter’s birthday that she was “a magical girl.” She is all heart, all love…. a warrior of justice.
Israelis were asked to do a good deed to honor Romi’s birthday on August 18.
“It was very, very hard for me to enter Romi’s room for 47 days. And now we are in this room and the emotions are very, very strong,” Eitan told Reuters. “But we are very optimistic that Romi will come home. We are even convinced that Romi will come home alive.”
The family’s story came to public attention when Romi’s sister, Yarden, was treated in a manner many considered disrespectful while attempting to speak to the former political commentator on The Hill, Briahna Joy Gray.
By Matthew Lambwell Posted: 21:03 East, March 8, 2025 | Update: 21:03 East, March 8,…
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