Israel-Hamas war live updates: U.S. conducts second, unilateral strike on Houthis

TEL AVIV — Relatives of some of the dozens of people who remain held hostage by Hamas walked through a 30-meter long “tunnel” set up in Tel Aviv today to highlight the conditions their loved ones have been held under in Gaza.

“The feeling when I was in the tunnel, it was a feeling that I just need to run away … and it was only five minutes and I’m just thinking of the people there,” said Ella Ben Ami, whose mother, Raz Ben Ami, was released by Hamas in November, while her father, Ohad Ben Ami, remains captive after they were kidnapped from their kibbutz, Be’eri.

Ella Ben Ami, 23, walks through a ‘tunnel’ set up in Tel Aviv today to recreate the conditions hostages held by Hamas, including her father, have faced.Chantal Da Silva

As hostage families prepare to mark 100 days since their loved ones were kidnapped, Ben Ami, 23, told NBC News it was “hard to keep the hope” for “so many days.”

Ben Ami welcomed news of a deal that will allow medicine to reach Israeli hostages in Gaza, but she said she wanted to see “proof” of medicine being provided, along with evidence of the condition of those who remain held by Hamas, including her father, who is 55.

A 30-foot long ‘tunnel’ was set up in ‘Hostage Square’ in Tel Aviv today to recreate the conditions that those who remain held captive by Hamas face.Chantal Da Silva

As the death toll in Gaza continued to rise to nearly 24,000, Ben Ami said that before Oct. 7, she had “always wanted peace” between Israelis and Palestinians. “I always wanted that everything will be alright,” she said. “Now, i can’t think about it.”