DENVER — Celebrations are happening in Israel, around the world, and here in Colorado following the release of the Israeli hostages.
Hamas released all 20 of the last living hostages on Monday, the Israeli military said, as part of a breakthrough ceasefire after two years of war between Israel and Hamas in the devastated Gaza Strip.
On Oct. 7, 2023, thousands of Hamas-led militants poured into southern Israel after a surprise barrage of rockets. They stormed army bases, farming communities and an outdoor music festival, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, including women, children and older adults. Israel launched a retaliatory attack on Hamas in Gaza, which has claimed more than 60,000 lives in the two years since.
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The group "Run For Their Lives" has held walks in Boulder and Denver each Sunday since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, during which 251 people were taken hostage by Hamas. Weekly walks in Fort Collins started later.
"We're elated," Miri Kornfeld, co-organizer of Run For Their Lives Colorado, said of the release of the hostages. "We're filled with so much joy, so much excitement. This has been two years in the making. These are 20 of the last living hostages that were released, and it feels too good to say there are no more living hostages in the hands of Hamas."
Members of the Boulder chapter of Run For Their Lives were attacked by Molotov cocktails on the Pearl Street Mall in June. Twelve demonstrators were hurt, and one ultimately died from her injuries.
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The group has been adamant that their goal is the release of all hostages, living and dead. As of Monday, Hamas still has the remains of 24 hostages.
Run For Their Lives is still deciding whether it will continue its weekly demonstrations.
"There is a motto that has been used since Oct. 7 for the release of all the hostages, 'until the last hostage.' And that is something that we are committed to doing," Kornfeld said. "And what that's going to look like in our community, what's right for our community, we'll release that information as it becomes available. But we will not stop advocating until every last hostage has come home."
