The last 20 living Israeli hostages returned home on Monday. Stockholm resident Ann Ringart has lived in Israel for over a decade. She waited a long time for this news and now feels great relief.
Ringart said she and others with affected relatives have lived with this situation constantly. She was present during Hamas's terror attack in Israel on October 7, 2023. Her son-in-law is related to Guy Gilboa-Dalal, one of the 20 Israeli hostages released Monday.
Since the October 7 attacks, Ringart has worked with Bring them home Stockholm. This volunteer organization arranges demonstrations and protests to remember the hostages in Gaza.
She now hopes calm can spread to everyone affected by this war. The hostage situation has dominated Swedish-Israeli community discussions for months. Many families with connections to both countries have experienced divided loyalties throughout the conflict.