Maayan Zin – an Israeli mother whose two daughters Dafna Elyakim, 15, and Ella Elyakim, 8, were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and brought into Gaza as hostages – had been rallying on their behalf on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), demanding their release from Hamas captivity.
Her nightmare came to an end on Sunday after Israel secured their release, among the 17 people released by Hamas on the third day of the war's "pause" in exchange for 39 Palestinian prisoners.
The family’s emotional reaction was captured on video and shared by Zin on social media.
My precious daughters were returned to me yesterday, a moment etched forever in my memory. Thank you for making it happen. pic.twitter.com/wuPXDQYxTi
— Maayan Zin (@ZinMaayan1007) November 27, 2023
“My precious daughters were returned to me yesterday, a moment etched forever in my memory. Thank you for making it happen,” Zin shared on X.
Maayan Zin’s activism amid her daughter’s captivity
Zin originally posted a video on November 5 where she called on US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to help free her daughters – going as far as to volunteer to enter Gaza as a hostage so that she could be there for her daughters.
“If you can't bring my girls back now, I'm asking you, begging you, take me to them now… I will be the 243rd hostage,” she offered.
Today marks 30 agonizing days since my daughters, Dafna (15) and Ela (8), were abducted by Hamas after witnessing their father's horrifying murder right before their eyes. I find it impossible to sleep, to think clearly, to even catch my breath. Please, I beg for your assistance. pic.twitter.com/AncsaBjd6S
— Maayan Zin (@ZinMaayan1007) November 5, 2023
“If only I could hold them and tell them everything would be alright… hug them and tell them mom is here no matter what,” Zin said in a tearful cry for help.
Since Zin posted the video, she has been actively posting on X in support of her daughters and the over 240 hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Dafna and Ella's father Noam, his partner Dikla, and her 17-year-old son Tomer were killed in the Hamas massacre. Zin did not initially know what happened to her daughters until they were confirmed to be in the hands of Hamas.
“I don't even know what's worse: what they did to my daughters or what they did to Tomer? To other children? To other parents?” Zin told Maariv in late October.
“Do they even have any humanity left?” she asked. “They took Tomer on a walk through Nahal Oz, [making him] call out to people in Hebrew to leave their homes. And when they came out, they shot them dead right in front of his eyes. He was a kind and gentle boy. Just 17 years old, still a child at heart."
"What kind of barbarism is this?”