Kobi, the brother of hostage Ohad Ben-Ami, told Radio 103FM this morning about the health of Ohad’s wife Raz and his concern for Ohad’s fate.
“Raz and Ohad were not held together,” he said during the interview. “Ohad had no idea what was happening to Raz or their daughters, as they had no idea what had happened to him or if they would see him again. That's the situation, unfortunately. Both Raz and her mother have suffered health relapses.” Raz was released as part of the previous prisoner exchange deal.
He also described his last contact with his brother: “Ohad said "Shema Yisrael, they’ve captured us."" The Shema prayer, which includes the verse Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one (Deuteronomy 6:4) is the traditional declaration for those facing imminent death. “He was captured first. We had been texting all morning, and then he heard explosions and they were in his house.”
“At approximately seven in the morning, he went to close the shutters in his salon. They shot him in the shoulder. Raz said he returned white all over. He was captured while injured.”
Regarding the Purim celebrations in light of the situation, he stated: “Routine makes me feel goosebumps and ill. I have a daughter twelve and a half years old. She asked me what to do. I told her ‘Maya, put on your costume, you need to go to school.’ Things related to school or Purim, they deserve. To everyone else, Isay - modesty isn’t taboo. Let everyone make of that what they will.”