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"When hostages return home, the ordeal doesn’t end with their release," according to Zuli and Liron Mor of Kibbutz Kfar Aza. The couple, who adopted the three children of Ynet photographer Roy Edan and his wife, Smadar, who were both murdered on October 7, "believe this reality will be evident in those now returning from captivity."
Liron, Smadar’s sister, and her husband, Zuli, have taken in Michael, 10, Amalia, 7, who survived October 7 by hiding in a closet during the massacre, and Abigail, 5, who was kidnapped during the Hamas terror attack and later freed in the first hostage deal. They are now raising them alongside their own three children — 13-year-old twins Zohar and Inbar, and 11-year-old Daniela — all of whom survived the massacre with their parents.
Abigail was three when she was abducted and after her parents were murdered she became one of the enduring symbols of the October 7 events. Months after her release in a hostage exchange, a photo of her in the arms of U.S. President Joe Biden touched hearts worldwide.
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Abigail with Liron and Zuli in the hospital after her release from Gaza
(Photo: Schneider Hospital spokesman)
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After her release, Abigail met President Joe Biden at the White House
(Photo: X platform)
“The state tends to think that a year and three months after their return, people should just move on — but that’s light-years away from reality,” Zuli said. “Maybe one day we’ll return to normal life, but right now, we live with grief every single day. We have three orphans in our home.”
The couple stressed that even after a year or two, the government must recognize that the trauma doesn’t simply end. “But amid all the sorrow and tragedy, these six children give us a reason to wake up every morning,” Liron asserts.
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The couple also described the complexities of their blended family.
“There’s jealousy among the siblings — because that’s how they see themselves, as full siblings,” Liron explains. “For example, when people ask about Abigail on the street, of course, she’s a symbol, but she also has five siblings who have endured unimaginable hardships. Everything revolves around her. But she’s just one piece of our family puzzle. It’s important for people to understand — we are a family with six children.”
The Mors have learned to deflect difficult or insensitive questions, but they say five-year-old Abigail cannot.
“Even with the best intentions, a five-year-old doesn’t know how to handle certain questions. And some of them are completely inappropriate — like when people ask her, ‘What did you eat in Gaza?’” Zuli said. “Still, most of the responses we get from people are warm and supportive.”