"The streets of Tel Aviv felt empty this Monday morning. Apart from people rushing to work or walking their dogs, the place seemed relatively deserted. Even some of the most popular coffee spots had more vacant seats than occupied ones. This day feels like a holy day not because it actually is one (it's Simchat Torah Eve) but because of the return of the last 20 living hostages from Hamas captivity."
"There was no need to ask where everyone was. Thousands had gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv (formerly known as Museum Square and who knows if that name will ever return). Others were glued to their television screens at home, as if it were the World Cup final. Thinking about it, the war's final act trumps even that. Apparently, the sound of silence can be full of joy."
"Ever since the deal was struck and the war finally came to an end, it seems Israel has been under the influence of the best drug imaginable. Strolling through the streets now, you see people smiling for no reason or perhaps for the best reason of all. Even the serious faces worn by TV anchors have been replaced by cheerful ones. Today is the day I smile, said one correspondent gladly this morning, stating the obvious."
Tel Aviv experienced an unusually quiet morning punctuated by commuters and sparse café crowds as thousands gathered to welcome the return of the last 20 living hostages from Hamas captivity. The release generated widespread public relief and visible joy across the city and on television. Simultaneous footage from Gaza showed extensive destruction and ruined cities, underscoring the dual realities of celebration and devastation. The hostage return and Gaza's calamity represent two sides of the war's outcome, and attention is likely to shift toward Gaza's rehabilitation, reconstruction priorities, and diplomatic meetings such as the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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