Natalie Blenford
Appearances
Global News Podcast
Hamas releases the bodies of four Israelis
Today the national mood is very muted, very, very sad. It's become a sort of macabre routine on a Saturday. You wake up, you switch on the news and you watch the hostages being released. But today, dead bodies in black coffins, but still in the middle of a propaganda ceremony. It's absolutely not what people were hoping for.
Global News Podcast
Hamas releases the bodies of four Israelis
And President Herzog just recently said, agony, pain, there are no words, in a message where he asked for forgiveness for the four slain Israeli hostages. And I think that does accurately sum up the mood. Agony, pain, there are no words. People are very, very distressed.
Global News Podcast
Hamas releases the bodies of four Israelis
Yes, that's correct. So there was a sort of decision taken not to broadcast this because as the bodies have not been formally identified by Israel. We didn't quite know, the authorities here didn't know what they were receiving. We've been told there were four bodies, but actually there was no proof of who was inside.
Global News Podcast
Hamas releases the bodies of four Israelis
And because in the Jewish religion there are various rituals that are followed when somebody dies, to do with the sanctification of human life and the soul and the spirit, there are sort of procedures that are followed. And I think it was thought that it would be inappropriate to show a handover ceremony where there wasn't the presence of the religious aspect involved.
Global News Podcast
Hamas releases the bodies of four Israelis
Es war nicht auf TV, es gab Wege, es online zu sehen, aber nicht auf nationaler Television.
Global News Podcast
Hamas releases the bodies of four Israelis
Yes, there's an emphasis here on returning all hostages, the living for rehabilitation and the dead for a dignified burial. That is what the families want. And there have been other bodies taken out of Gaza. The IDF have rescued... Some hostages who sadly had died and they brought them back. But because this was part of the deal, it's been orchestrated in a sort of different way.
Global News Podcast
Hamas releases the bodies of four Israelis
And I think there will be a sense of closure for the families who received back their loved ones. But of course, it's not the result they were hoping for. And the rest of the afternoon is going to be quite stressful because the bodies are now at a forensic institute called Abu Kabir in Tel Aviv. Well, they're certainly on their way there and there will be several hours there.
Global News Podcast
Hamas releases the bodies of four Israelis
Natalie Blenford, you heard her there mentioning the reaction of Israel's President Isaac Herzog.