And to ask the right questions about the entire event to determine what they may know! I doubt they will be allowed to see any relatives until they are de-briefed.
I suspect you are right. Intellectually, I know it makes sense and is best in the long run. In the short run, it does make my heart hurt for all of them.
Not at all a comparison, but I'll share a personal tidbit, which I rarely do on here, only because I feel so strongly about the girls getting what THEY need quickly:
My strongest, and one of my most painful memories was sitting in a church for my mom's funeral at age 5. For various (really stupid) reasons, my dad was seated several rows behind us. I kept crying and squirming to get away, "I want my Daddy!"
My caregivers wouldn't let me go to him. I still harbour anger at these people (whose faces I can't even remember now) for that. To be honest, I feel a bit of genuine hatred towards them for not understanding a deep primal need to be with my remaining parent when the other was suddenly gone. Who would do that to a little child?
So, while I do 'get it' and the necessity for debriefing, my heart aches that those girls might be saying, "I want my Daddy!" and be delayed from being with him.
They need to know and feel he is safe, too, ya know? And they need to be hugged. Closely hugged by a soul they love & trust.
I'm hoping the debriefing is short. And that wise souls will give them even 5 minutes with the family, if they can. Enough to soothe. Then they can carry on with the debrief.