For 476 agonizing days, the families of Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, and Naama Levy lived in suspended animation, their world frozen on that October morning when their daughters were taken from their observation post at Nahal Oz.
Through scorching summers and cold winters, they rallied at intersections, pleaded at the United Nations, and kept vigil outside government offices. Their daughters' fresh young faces smiled down from billboards across Israel, their absence a wound in the nation's heart.
The truth is that all of us lived with constant terror about their fate, beautiful young women in the hands of terrorists - it's every Israeli's worst nightmare come true. We tried not to think about it at times, because the possibilities were so horrific, but we couldn't stop - our women in the hands of actual monsters, in the bowels of hell.
These women, barely in their twenties, represented Israel's best: bright, dedicated soldiers serving their country. Their capture from their military post struck deep at Israel's sense of security and responsibility to protect its defenders.
Tonight, after months of diplomatic negotiations and public pressure, they finally came home. Helicopter footage showed them being escorted to waiting ambulances, walking under their own power - a sight that brought tears to millions of Israeli eyes.
While initial medical reports indicate the women are in stable condition, mental health experts stress they face a long journey of recovery. But tonight, four lights have been returned to their families, their safe return a testament to the unwavering determination of those who refused to let the world forget them.
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