For once, West Asia witnessed tears not of anger but of relief and joy. Across Israel, families who had endured two years of uncertainty finally embraced sons and daughters once believed lost forever. The scenes of reunion ~ mothers clinging to grown children, fathers weeping without restraint ~ spoke a language beyond politics. For many, it marked not only the end of captivity but the beginning of healing.

But the joy was laced with unease. For every freed hostage returning to life, there are families still waiting for the bodies of loved ones who never made it home. Hamas has released only a few remains so far, citing difficulties in locating others. In Israel, grief has fused with relief, the two emotions coexisting uneasily. No true closure can come until every last captive, living or dead, is accounted for. The release has stirred deep emotions........

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