Pennsylvania family hopes loved one is among next group of hostages released in Israel

ARDMORE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- For one Ardmore, Pennsylvania family, the news that there's been a two-day extension in the truce between Israel and Hamas means there's a chance their loved one could come home.

The 84-year-old grandmother has been held hostage since October. This new announcement gives the family some hope.

"This is Ditza over here," Corey Shdaimah said while pointing to a photo of a large group of people gathered around the table. Standing behind them is her mother-in-law, 84-year-old Ditza Heiman, as everyone at the table smiles with bowls of chicken soup in front of them.

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"My mother-in-law's chicken soup is famous," she said.

Heiman is also famous among her family and friends for her kindness.

"She's an open person and loving," said Shdaimah of her mother-in-law, who is going through a lot right now as one of over 200 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7.

"The alarms went off, and then people went into the safe room inside her house," Shdaimah said, after hearing an account of the ordeal from family members in Israel.

A neighbor saw the grandmother of 20 being taken away from her home, which is in a small neighborhood just about 1.5 miles from Gaza. A neighbor heard Heiman scream for help and saw Hamas militants put her in a vehicle.

"That's important for us as a family because we know she was alive when she was taken," said Shdaimah.

Another relative had a chilling phone encounter when she called Heiman's home.

"One of her daughters, the phone picked up and they said in Arabic, 'It's Hamas. It's Hamas,'" said Shdaimah.

Heiman's family hasn't heard anything since, but last week there was hope as Israel and Hamas agreed to a truce and the release of some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

"We were happy to hear there was a truce and that there was going to be a release of the hostages. As a family, we also want peace," said Shdaimah.

As of Monday afternoon, 58 hostages had been released.

Shdaimah has watched many of those reunions with a happy but heavy heart.

"It's really hard for us to see other people coming home and Ditza not coming home," she said.

The news that both sides have now agreed to extend the truce by two days means the possible release of more hostages. Shdaimah hopes her mother-in-law is among them.

"I think that gives us hope, and it's been a rollercoaster," she said.

If she is on the list of hostages to be released, the family in Israel wouldn't get much notice.

"We might know if she's on the list or not on the list, but not more than a few hours ahead," Shdaimah said.

Until then, Heiman's picture remains on a sign in the family's front yard in Ardmore hoping she'll be freed soon.

"It's a little hard to be hopeful," said Shdaimah, "but we're trying to be hopeful for the future."