While the fragile truce between Hamas and Israel leads to further exchanges, friends and families of released hostages breathe a sigh of relief worldwide - including in Toronto.

Among the 14 Israeli hostages released on Sunday, four have family ties to Canada.

Hagar Brodach (39 years old) and her children – Oria (4 years), Yuval (8 years), and Ofri Brodach (10 years) – have now safely returned to their homeland in Israel. But the relief of their safe return extends to Toronto, where the community was eagerly awaiting the news.

Family friend Shoshana Leibshultz told CTV National News she felt "tears of joy" when she heard the family was among those released. She added, "I cry with joy and also realize that many people are still held captive and that many people are still suffering while waiting for their loved ones to return."

The release of hostages on Sunday comes as part of an agreement reached between Israel and Hamas after seven weeks of war.

On October 7, Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking nearly 240 hostages. In the weeks that followed, Israel bombed the Gaza Strip with airstrikes, cut food, water, electricity, and fuel, and launched a ground offensive. More than 13,300 people were killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, nearly two-thirds of whom were women and children.

Also earlier this week, a ceasefire agreement was reached: it was agreed that during a four-day ceasefire, Hamas would release 50 hostages in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinians detained in Israel. All released hostages and prisoners are women and children, according to the Associated Press.

The news that Ofri, her siblings, and mother were listed among the hostages to be released on Sunday was a great relief to their aunt, uncle, and cousins in Canada – as well as the broader community concerned for their safety. Hagar's brother-in-law, Aharon Brodach, residing in Toronto, spoke to CTV News Toronto earlier this month and called on Canada to make more efforts to bring the hostages back to their homeland.