I’m sitting in front of the television watching the release of three of the hostages taken by Hamas 471 days ago.

They are being sent to me direct from Hostages Square by the mother of a family of three teenage girls who lived with us in November 2023 when they needed respite from days and nights in the bomb shelters. After three weeks at The Gables they returned to a war zone where they were able to face the continued bombardment from Iran and Gaza, the Houthi’s and Hizbollah. May all in the Middle East find a way to live together in peace.