Filipino captivity survivor Jimmy (Galinor) Pacheco and his wife Clarice are celebrating the arrival of their fourth child, arriving one year and eight months following his release from Hamas captivity in November 2023. Pacheco, who endured 295 days in captivity within the Gaza Strip, and his wife bestowed upon their daughter the name Israela as a heartfelt tribute to the people and State of Israel.
This represents Jimmy's fourth child, who joins her older siblings Ji-An Kyle, Julian Carlo, and sister Gayhan Celine. Pacheco, a Filipino caregiver, was 33 years old when Hamas operatives violently abducted him from Nir Oz kibbutz on October 7, the same day that Amitai Ben Tzvi, the elderly Israeli under his care, was brutally murdered.
Following his release through the second prisoner exchange agreement, Jimmy arrived at Shamir Medical Center accompanied by ten additional Thai nationals who gained freedom alongside him. Members of Amitai Ben Tzvi's family visited him at the hospital and offered blessings for his release, simultaneously expressing hope for the liberation of remaining hostages from Nir Oz and the entire Gaza border region.
Kibbutz Nir Oz released a special congratulatory message for Jimmy, highlighting his devotion as a caregiver prior to his abduction. Pacheco was transported to Gaza alongside Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon, sharing confinement with them in Hamas tunnel systems throughout Gaza.
"During two weeks, I remained in a cramped room with Yarden and Ofer," he shared. "An extraordinary bond developed among us. When I wept, they comforted me and assured me that the Israeli government provides assistance. We sang together, shared laughter, and I even taught Yarden the Filipino language."
Jimmy's wife, Clarice, commemorated her husband's liberation in November 2023, when she posted on Facebook that "it represents a tremendous miracle that Jimmy will experience a 'second life' following his release." Regarding the Ben Tzvi family members, she noted they "never abandoned him throughout this struggle."
