Israel is celebrating the ongoing liberation of its citizens from the hands of the Hamas terrorist movement. As if the genocide of the Jewish population on October 7 was not enough, the terrorists carried out acts of great barbarity and took about 250 people of all ages hostage.

Since Friday, November 24, 2023, the terrorist movement has been releasing groups of a dozen people for four days and today and tomorrow it will release new groups. Among them are people of Portuguese origin whose historical connections to Portugal deserve mention.

1) Adina Moshe Galante (72 years old) is a Portuguese citizen, from a traditional family of the Sephardic community of Turkey. There are records of this family in the synagogues and Portuguese institutions that existed in Izmir, Edirne and others, such as the "Kahal Kadosh Portugal". The kind lady loves Portugal as can be gleaned from a report by the journalist Henrique Cymerman.

2) Erez Kalderon, 12 years old, is the son of Ofer Kalderon, a Portuguese citizen and hostage, from a traditional Sephardic family in Greece. Records of this family exist in the synagogues and Portuguese institutions that existed in Thessaloniki including the "Kahal Kadosh Portugal", the "Kahal Kadosh Lisbon", the "Kahal Kadosh Évora", the "Portugal Velha" and others.

3) Shahar Kalderon, 16 years old, is the daughter of Ofer Kalderon, a Portuguese citizen, from a traditional Sephardic family in Greece. There are records of this family in the synagogues and Portuguese institutions that existed in Thessaloniki: the "Kahal Kadosh Portugal", the "Kahal Kadosh Lisbon", the "Kahal Kadosh Évora", the "Portugal Velha" and others.

4) Alma Or, 13, is the daughter of Dror Or Ermoza, a Portuguese citizen and hostage, whose family in the former Ottoman Empire spoke Ladino and today inspires the famous Netflix series "Beauty Queen of Jerusalem."

5) Noam Or, 17, is the daughter of Dror Or Ermoza, a Portuguese citizen and hostage. Her family is from the former Ottoman Empire and spoke Ladino. They inspired the Netflix series "Beauty Queen of Jerusalem."

6) Doron Katz Asher, 34 years old, is the brother of Ravid Arie Katz Bejayo. He is awaiting receipt of Portuguese citizenship in an urgent process. His family is from the former Ottoman Empire and is on the lists of names of the "Kahal Kadosh Portugal" and the institution of Endowment for the Orphans of Smyrna.

7) Raz Katz Asher, 5 years old, is the niece of Ravid Arie Katz Bejayo. She is awaiting receipt of Portuguese citizenship in an urgent process. Her family is from the former Ottoman Empire and is on the lists of names of the "Kahal Kadosh Portugal" and the institution of Endowment for the Orphans of Smyrna.

8) Aviv Katz Asher, 2 years old, is the niece of Ravid Arie Katz Bejayo, who is awaiting receipt of Portuguese citizenship in an urgent process. Her family is from the former Ottoman Empire is on the lists of names of the "Kahal Kadosh Portugal" and the institution of Endowment for the Orphans of Smyrna.

In addition to those named above, there are other Portuguese hostages but the PJN cannot publish their names so as not to jeopardize the ongoing negotiations for the unconditional release of all hostages.

In the last days, Hamas released a total of 30 Israeli children and 30 Israeli women, 12 of them mothers of freed kids, as well as an Israeli-Russian man, and 18 foreigners — 17 Thais and a Filipino — released as part of a separate, Iran-brokered deal. In return, Israel has freed 150 female and underage Palestinians serving time in Israeli prison for security offenses.