AVENTURA, FLA. (WSVN) - - It was an evening of hope and honor in Aventura as families came together to celebrate the release of all living hostages being held by Hamas earlier this week and to honor the memory of those lost.
Those who attended wore white and blue to the somber, but celebratory event at the Waterways Shoppes on Thursday night.
“God bless the USA, God bless the City of Aventura and God bless Israel,” said Aventura Mayor Howard Weinberg.
Local organizations also participated in the community event to praise the homecoming of the hostages.
“What a relief, what a relief that we can celebrate after two years of national torture,” said Miri Ketayi, Regional Director of Israel American Council South Florida.
Natalie Kaswan with Loving Moms United helped organize the event coined “They Are Home Now.” She called it a night to feel, dance, celebrate and honor each and every hostage.
“We need to mourn, but at the same time we need to celebrate,” said Kaswan. “We are grateful for each one of them. We have prayed for them. We know them as family because we are a big family.”
As those in Aventura rejoiced, they leaned on one another for support too as they say they’re still awaiting the returns of the bodies of nearly 20 more deceased hostages.
“And we are still waiting for the ones that are dead because each body for us is sacred,” said Kaswan.
7News cameras captured eventgoers dancing and enjoying themselves.
The Israeli Consul of Miami also attended the emotional ceremony. Deputy Consul General of Israel Ayellet Black watched her community band together in a long-awaited moment of celebration.
“We all beat with one heart and the tragedy that happened in Israel affected everyone here so deeply,” she said. “it’s incredible. It’s hard to put into words what this feels like after two long years.”
Throughout the event, attendees sang, danced, laughed and cried as a sign of relief after two very long years.
Still, they say they remember the deceased hostages that remain in Gaza. The Israeli flag blew proudly in the wind with pictures of deceased hostages rooted to the bottom of it.
“We remember those who are still in Gaza and we remember them and we will fight them alive or not,” said Ketayi.
As of Thursday night, a handful of bodies of the deceased hostages have returned, but many more remain as part of the ceasefire agreement.
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