On October 7, 2023, they were attacked and taken from their homes by terrorists. For the next two years they were held in dark tunnels beneath Gaza, only to be used as leverage for terrorist group. Now, the last batch of them finally come home to Israel and live to tell their stories:
Gali and Ziv Berman
Twins Gali and Ziv were kidnapped from their home in kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7 massacre. Every other hostage from the kibbutz was murdered, but the brothers were kept alive by Hamas. Upon their release, Gali and Ziv returned home to the apartments across from each other where they live. Gali is the more outgoing twin, while Zic is the reserved one, according to their family.
Omri Miran
Omri was taken from the Nahal Oz kibbutz while terrorists held his family, including two young daughters, in the house of a neighbor who was also taken hostage and murdered in captivity. While Omri’s families survived the mental and physical torture, the children grew to know their father only through photos and videos released by Hamas. Today, Omri is reunited with his family and can record his own memories with them.
Matan Angrest
Matan was serving in the IDF, operating a tank in southern Israel, at the time he was taken by Hamas. His family members have been strong advocates of the hostages’ return and constantly kept him in their rallying cries. Matan is back with her four younger siblings in Kiryat Bialik outside of Haifa.
Eitan Mor
After Eitan was kidnapped from the Nova music festival while working as a security guard, his parents were pivotal in helping found the Tikva Forum of other hostage families. It turns out the ceasefire was all they needed to have Eitan reunited with his family.
Alon Ohel
Alon holds German and Serbian dual citizenship and was kidnapped from a mobile bomb shelter at the Nova music festival. In order to raise awareness, his family had placed pianos across Israel and other parts of the world – Alon is a talented pianist, after all. He had watched everyone he had grown close to in captivity be freed, while he always had to stay behind until the latest ceasefire agreement.
Guy Gilboa-Dala
While his brother, Gal, managed to escape Hamas during its attack at the Nova music festival, Guy was abducted. Like Alon, Guy had to experience the pain of being held while other hostages were freed in prior agreements. Since the ceasefire, he has returned to his brother and family.
Elkana Bohbot
Elkana has appeared in numerous videos released by Hamas showing him in captivity – one even had him stage a telephone conversation with his wife and family. Like so many others, he was taken at the Nova music festival. Now, the conversations and interactions he has with his family are very real.
Rom Braslavski
Rom was also working as a security guard at the Nova music festival at the time when Hamas attacked. He had helped attendees escape before being wounded and kidnapped himself. The video released by Hamas showing him and other hostages digging their own graves sparked some of the largest attendance at hostage rallies.
Nimrod Cohen
Stationed by the IDF in southern Israel, Nimrod was abducted from the tank he was manning. His family had stopped gathering and observing Jewish holidays together because it reminded them of how much he is missing. Now that he’s been returned, the family looks forward to gathering and celebrating together again.
Ariel and David Cunio
Brothers Ariela and David were kidnapped from their home in Nir Oz kibbutz, the place that was hit the hardest by Hamas. Ariel was taken with his girlfriend, Arbel Yehoud, who was set free in January while David’s sister-in-law and her daughter were kidnapped. David also returned to his five-year-old twins who were three when he went missing.
Evyatar David
Evyatar was taken at the Nova music festival with his childhood friend Guy Gilboa-Dalal and was also featured in one of the infamous videos that the terror group released. These videos were especially important because they brought awareness of the conditions the hostages faced and record turnouts for demonstrations.
Maksym Harkin
Maksym became Israeli when he moved with his family from Ukraine to Tirat HaCarmel. Also having been featured in a video released by Hamas, he returns home to his toddler daughter, his mother for whom he is the primary provider, and his younger brother.
Eitan Horn
Eitan was kidnapped from Nir Oz kibbutz along with his brother, Iair, whom he was visiting. Iair was released in February and endlessly campaigned for the release of his brother and other hostages. Some of Iair’s campaigning included trips to the United States and meetings with politicians.
Segev Kalfon
After he was taken from the Nova music festival, Segev’s family had no way of telling if he was alive. The sign came after an earlier ceasefire when some of the released hostages said that he was being held with them. Segev can now return to his family’s bakery in Dimona where he had worked.
Bar Kupershtein
Also a security guard at the Nova music festival, Bar was seen staying behind during the attack to help wounded attendees before he was kidnapped. He had been the main provider for his family and father, who was injured in an accident years ago that left him unable to speak, among other things. Bar’s father put himself through physical therapy so he could speak again to advocate for his son’s release.
Yosef-Chaim Ohana
Yosef-Chaim was taken from the Nova music festival where he was working as a bartender. He was also seen helping others escape before he was taken.
Avinatan Or
Avinatan and his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, were taken at the Nova music festival. While Noa was rescued by the IDF in June of last year, Avinatan was held until the ceasefire was agreed to. The video of them being taken was one of the first and most well-known videos Hamas released that day.
Matan Zangauker
Matan and his girlfriend, Ilana Gritzewsky, were kidnapped from Nir Oz kibbutz with Ilana being released after 55 days. Their home was also burned by the terrorists. Matan’s mother has also been a constant presence at demonstrations as a speaker.
