Danny Miran, the father of Omri, who is being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, spoke with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News about his feelings on the release of the first hostages in the deal, knowing that his own son was not included in this stage of the deal.
"When they returned, I was excited just like everyone else in the country," Danny says, recounting the excitement he felt when he saw his son in a video distributed by Hamas in April, “I was even more excited than on the day Omri was born.
Danny emphasizes that the feelings he is experiencing now are not difficult because he is fully confident that his son will return alive. However, he criticizes the division into groups, according to humanitarian categories. "I believe that all the hostages are a humanitarian case. It is impossible to call one humanitarian and the other not. This is selection," he says, mentioning the pain of a mother who is waiting for her son, "Isn't that humanitarian?" and his daughter-in-law, who is waiting in tears for her husband and her daughters who are waiting for their father and kiss his picture every night. Isn't that humanitarian?"
"I don't know who devised this list, but I respect it because this deal has already been launched. The next deal must not be divided. All those who remain must be released in one phase. If there's an agreement with the other side that we give them something and they give us everything, let them give it and we'll close the deal. Why spread it out? Why three every week? It’s draining on everyone's soul."
Danny says he feels a sense of concern regarding the promise to continue the fighting, a promise that is inconsistent with the desire to return to negotiations on the 16th day. "Will anyone on the other side continue the negotiations while we are declaring war on them? We have to be silent. You want to fight, you can fight, but during negotiations, you have to be silent. Afterwards, you can do whatever you want." Danny is optimistic about his son, but is still feeling is that whoever is conducting the negotiations is doing it in the wrong way.
In response to our question, Danny says that his son never really stopped smiling even when he was lying in hospital. When asked why he was smiling, he responded, 'I'm not dead.' He is optimistic by nature, but in a video released by Hamas on April 27 I saw a child whose light had been turned out. His eyes were lowered, he was not smiling, he had an overgrown beard, and despite the excitement of seeing him alive, I was sad to see him like that and not as I know my Omri."
Regarding the moments of contemplation, the moments when he thinks of his son's return to his family, Danny says that he imagines those first moments and wonders who will be the first to hug him; whether he himself, or his wife and daughters, or perhaps Omri's brother. He believes that Omri will first reunite with his wife and daughters, and then he and the brothers will join in one big family hug.
"I'm bothered by the rehabilitation that he is going to need. How long does a person who sat in the Hamas tunnels need in order to get back on his feet? I told people to test this, not with Hamas, but at home. Go into a room for a week and we'll see how crazy you are to get out of there. It's crazy and frustrating. A little bit more, 16 months ... just thinking about it is driving me crazy."