SARASOTA, Fla. — As a ceasefire continues overseas in the Israel-Hamas war, a Sarasota resident who lost her brother in the conflict is feeling a mix of emotions.
What You Need To Know
- A Sarasota resident, Keren Shani-Lifrak, lost her brother in the Israel-Hamas war
- Sgt. Major Adi Shani was killed in combat in December 2023
- Shani-Lifrak expresses cautious optimism following the ceasefire and return of hostages
Keren Shani-Lifrak’s brother, Sgt. Major Adi Shani, lived in Israel. He was 39-years-old when he got the call to return to active duty in the military. He was killed in combat in December 2023.
Shani-Lifrak says his sacrifice was to protect his wife and kids, but also for all Israelis.
“We’ve been all praying for this nightmare to end. It’s the longest war ever. Nobody wanted it. I hope he has peace now and that we all can have peace now,” she said.
When President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Shani-Lifrak felt cautiously optimistic.
“We are so hopeful. We want to believe that it will end, and the soldiers and the hostages will come home. The soldiers will come home to their families and their kids. But it was kind of like—until I see it, I’m not going to believe it,” she said. “It’s going to take a lot for us to rebuild and recover and regain some kind of sense of normalcy and trust again.”
On Monday, Hamas returned all 20 remaining living hostages to Israel, while hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel were freed.
Shani-Lifrak hopes this will be the end of the war.
“I’m so happy for them,” she said. “I know that the whole country has been waiting for them to come home, and I can’t imagine what they have suffered. I just want them to be happy and have a good life. And I want peace for everyone.”
Looking at a collection of pictures, Shani-Lifrak remembers her late brother.
“It’s really sad,” she said. “I look at his really kind eyes, and I keep telling him, ‘You did it. You brought them home.’ So other families can have their loved ones back.”
Spectrum News also received a statement from the Jewish Federation of Manatee County. It reads, in part:
“We also take this moment to recognize the enormous sacrifice and service of Israel’s soldiers and their families, who put their time, their economic well-being, their bodies, and their lives on the line to protect Israel during this horrific period. We mourn the loss of 915 soldiers who died as they fought successfully to get the hostages home and defeat Israel’s enemies.”
Julia Hazel
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