'Now I'm going to dance,' says 85-year-old former Hamas hostage Elma Avraham
Avraham, who returned from Hamas captivity in life-threatening condition in November, spent the past five months recuperating at Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheba
"I feel great" says Elma Avraham.
The 85-year-old Israeli has spent the past five months recovering at Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheba, where she was airlifted on the night of her release from Gaza.
On the morning of October 7, Elma was unable to secure the door of her safe room in her home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Armed terrorists abducted her to Gaza, sending distressing images of the elderly woman on a motorcycle to her family.
She, along with 16 other hostages, was released on the third night of the truce between Israel and Hamas that was brokered in November.
Arriving in life-threatening condition after 7 weeks in captivity, Elma was immediately sedated and put in intensive care. At the time, doctors said that it was just a matter of another day or two and she would likely not have returned alive.
On Wednesday morning, Elma's daughter had the honor of cutting the hospital bracelets that have adorned her wrists over the many months of her recovery. Elma's son, Uri Ravitz, described the journey back to health as "arduous."
"Back to breathing, back to being a mother and grandmother, back to being in control, back to talking, back to clarity of thought. To return to understanding what day and night are, what is right and left - to come back to life."
Elma, who celebrated her 85th birthday a month ago, says that his mother feels reborn. While thanking the doctors and nurses, the family could not fail to put the spotlight back on the hostages who are still in Gaza.
"Even in our moment of private victory, we do not forget them. They must return now."
Elma said succinctly, "They must return now. Now."