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Podcast: North Star with Ellin Bessner
Episode: Canadian families of freed hostages relieved but lament how long it has taken
Description: Some Toronto residents have more reason than most Canadians to be overjoyed with the release of the three Israeli women hostages on Sunday Jan. 19, as part of the first stage of an agreed upon “cease-fire for hostages” deal with Hamas that is expected to last six weeks. Maureen Leshem’s younger cousin Romi Gonen, 24, was one of the trio to come out first after 471 days in captivity. Gonen was shot while fleeing the Nova Music festival on Oct. 7, where Hamas murdered many of her friends.
Meanwhile, Aharon Brodutch found it hard to watch the coverage of this new round of fre...