TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — All 20 remaining living hostages have now been released by Hamas to Israel.
Tampa Attorney Mark Wright has visited Israel many times and spoken with the families of those impacted by the Oct. 7 terror attacks.
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He wondered until the last minute if the hostages would actually be released.
“I think historically, Hamas can not be trusted,” Wright said. “I think Hamas only does what’s best for Hamas.”
He said his friends in Israel started texting him in Tampa at 1 a.m. to let him know the release was actually happening.
“I think today is an amazing day; I was up all last night,” said Wright.
Now he said people across Israel are rejoicing.
“All people today of Israel are smiling,” Wright said. “I don’t know about tomorrow or what tomorrow will bring, but I get the sense of talking with all of my friends and family in Israel that today is a momentous day. It was a miracle happening.”
However, he believes the world can not turn it’s back on Gaza.
“If we leave it alone right, if the world just ignores it and doesn’t take strong action, I think at some point we are back to where we started,” Wright said.
Shepard Englander is the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Sarasota Manatee.
He has also visited Israel and spoken with the families of those impacted by the war.
“The pain is immeasurable and unbearable,” said Englander.
He said for some, the pain is still ongoing.
“So, many of those who survived physically were so broken by having to witness their friends being raped and tortured and murdered that they took their own lives,” Englander said. “One of them committed suicide yesterday, and it’s not uncommon that they hang on and then when something changes, they just can’t go any further.”