SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — As the Israel-Hamas hostage deal unfolds, the father of a Carmel Valley man won't be among those released. He was kidnapped from his home in a kibbutz near Gaza.
As the first images emerge of a bus carrying released hostages entering Israel, a wave of emotion hit Guri Stark.
“Very happy to see that people are released. Very happy with every single person that is released,” said Stark.
Stark is a close friend of Rotem Cooper, whose elderly parents, Amiram and Nurit, were kidnapped from their kibbutz near Gaza.
Cooper spoke to ABC 10News from Israel in mid-October, showing bullet holes in and outside of his parents' home.
READ MORE: Carmel Valley man's parents believed kidnapped during Hamas attacks
Less than two weeks later, Cooper’s mother was one of two elderly women released by Hamas.
In an interview with Ynetnews, Cooper talked about his mother, who suffered a fractured shoulder. She called for all hostages to be returned alive because she was greatly worried about her husband. “I want all families to rejoice like mine did,” she said.
That scenario is now playing out for more than two dozen families as part of the hostage-prisoner swap and a four-day temporary cease fire.
The hostage deal includes the release of abducted women and children.
“What we are so sad about is so many others are still behind held, including elderly men, including Rotem's father,” said Stark.
Cooper mentioned last month that his father was without some critical medications. There are similar concerns for the remaining elderly hostages.
“They have medical needs. They have medication needs. We don’t know how they’re being held, in what conditions they are being held," said Stark. "We don’t know if they're getting treatments they should get. We are very worried about that."
Stark, whose been in touch with Cooper's wife, said she and her family remain determined and hopeful.
“I don’t think anybody’s giving up. The’s not the nature of us as Israelis or them as a family … They are releasing people, so that’s a good sign. We are all just trying to stay hopeful that sometime soon there will be agreement that will cover him also,” said Stark.
