This Monday morning, Oct. 13, all 20 of the last living Israeli hostages got to come home.
This occurred on the eve of Simchat Torah, the same joyous holiday when the October 7 attack happened two years ago.
At the same time, we received terrible news: Only 4 of the 28 deceased hostages would make it to Israel for burial, in breach of the ceasefire agreement.
The first images we saw seemed almost mundane. Partner Ilana Gritzewsky and mom Einav Zangauker fill a suitcase, trying to Tetris out space for Matan Zangauker’s slippers. Guy Gilboa-Dalal’s family show off the anime figurines that he loved from “Naruto,” which will be waiting for him. Re’em, 5, rolls his father’s, Elkana Bohbot’s, suitcases around the hall of their apartment building, like any child would with a fun rolling object, marching them in circles. “These have all my father’s things,” he says to the camera.
But by the end of the day, there would be miraculous sights. We would see people we haven’t seen in two years — David and Ariel Cunio, Avinatan Or, Segev Kalfon. We would see countless photos and videos of parents weeping and chanting the Shehechiyanu blessing. We would see euphoria and elation, even amid the unresolved grief and sadness.
Rom Braslavski holds back his tears over FaceTime
“Don’t cry, my love, I’m crazy about you, Rom,” Nova Festival guard Rom Braslavski’s mother yelled to him over FaceTime, and then begged him to say something so that she could hear his voice.
“Everything is OK,” he told her through tears.
Alon Ohel quotes the song that kept him sane
Alon Ohel’s image was the first to make it from the border crossing. Ohel spent his captivity with Or Levy, Eliya Cohen and Eli Sharabi; they were all released in early 2025 and all worried for Ohel, especially for the condition of his eyes. Ohel’s parents fought relentlessly for their son’s return; his piano made it to Hostage Square and was played by some of the nation’s most iconic musicians.
It might be a while before Ohel goes to the square to flex his piano skills, but on the chopper to the hospital he wrote on the board the lyrics of a song that helped him survive: “A Song Without Name,” “Shir Lelo Shem” by Yehudit Ravitz.
“My song is a windy breeze/My open window/My fountain of strength/Laughter and tears/The end of my suffering,” he wrote the lyrics and added: “I’m home.” We can’t wait to hear him play this song into the windy breeze of freedom.
Maxim Herkin’s photos with his family are beyond moving
Hostage Maxim Herkin looked pale, frail, but oh-so-relieved to finally embrace his parents. His smile and his relief are such a wondrous sight. We’re so excited for the 37-year-old to reunite with his family and with his daughter.
Released hostage Maxim Herkin emotionally reunites with his family after two years held hostage in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/GzOa2pWr2I
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) October 13, 2025
Nimrod Cohen jokes with his family
Yehuda Cohen, Nimrod Cohen’s father, has been a very outspoken activist for the release of his son, against the Netanyahu government’s inaction and for a lasting peace and a two-state solution. When he reunited with his family, Nimrod joked with his father that his captors “told me you got up to trouble.”
“You have no idea,” his brother replies, and they all laugh together. And what a gift that laughter is.
Gali and Ziv Berman fly over their team’s stadium
Twins Gali and Ziv Berman’s first task when they got back home was to change into the yellow and blue shirts of their team, Maccabi Tel Aviv. The two, who were captured from their home in Nir Oz, even asked the helicopter airlifting them into the hospital to fly above Bloomfield stadium, where the team plays, where fellow fans were ready, waving flags in celebration.
The twins’ reunion was so special because it seems that they had been mostly held apart, so it was a reunion not just for their family, but also for each other. Soon, they will get to embrace their former roommate and former hostage Emily Damari.
Einav Zangauker finally meets her Matan
Einav Zangauker was a true lioness fighting for her son, Matan, captured from his home in Nir Oz with his partner. When her son finally called her on FaceTime for the first time in two years, she told him, “God is great, you’re coming home, the war is over.” She was in the car with his girlfriend Ilana.
A short while later, she finally, finally, finally got to reunite with him. “You are my life, my life,” she repeated over and over, using the common Israeli term of endearment, asking him to take off his backpack so they could better embrace and telling him that his sisters and his girlfriend were waiting for him, as a smile threatened to overtake his face.
What a victory for this incredible mother.
Bar Kupershtein’s father stood up to hug him
Bar Kupershtein’s father, Tal, has been working hard the last two years so that he could stand up and hug his son and tell him he loves him when he finally returned from Gaza. Two years later, his hard word paid off and made us all weep.
Kupershtein’s mom, who is observant, unlike his father, was the first to embrace him, reciting the Shema and thanking God, then Tal, who had lost his mobility and voice in a 2019 accident, was rolled over to his son in his wheelchair. He stood up for an embrace, unable to contain his emotion. “I can speak,” he told his beloved son, who was working as a guard at the Nova Festival and helped rescue revelers before he was captured.
Omri Miran put on a shirt illustrated by his daughters and played with them at last
Lishay Miran-Lavi has been with Omri Miran for only five years, and for two of those years they were apart. During that time Lishay raised their two daughters, Roni, 5, and Alma, 2, by herself, while tirelessly advocating for her husband’s return, along with Omri’s family. Omri’s father, Dani, famously refused to shave his beard while his son was captive, and now, he’s keeping the stately white facial hair. They finally got to hug their loved one who came home with the most infectious of gentle smiles.
Lishay quickly gave him a shirt with a drawing made by their daughters, which says “Roni,” “Alma,” “Mom,” and “Dad” on it. When they got to the hospital, the girls were ready to play with their father for the first time in two years, throwing blocks at one another.
Segev Kalfon couldn’t hold back his tears
Segev Kalfon looked in good humor when he crossed into Israel, but when he saw his father walk into the room, emotions got the best of him. He covered his face with his hands as his father howled in joyful tears. “My son is a tiger,” he yelled, and Segev got to breathe and relax with some water as his family held and hugged him.
“You’re a fighter and I’m proud of you,” said Elkana to his wife Rebecca
Elkana Bohbot, the only producer of the Nova Festival who survived, got to reunite with his mother and his wife, Rebbeca, the mother of his son, Re’em, 5. “You’re a fighter and I’m proud of you,” he told her. “Now we can finally laugh.”
Guy Gilboa-Dalal’s mom jumps up and down in the air, and a reunion with Evyatar David
Guy Gilboa-Dalal’s mother was overtaken by emotion in a whole different way, jumping up and down when she saw her son who was captured from the Nova Party. “My Guygu, you’re home,” she cried over and over with unbridled joy.
Gilboa-Dalal also got to reunite with his childhood friend, Evyatar David, with whom he was held until a few weeks ago, and with whom he went to the Nova Party.
David’s parents often spoke for their son with Gilboa-Dalal’s. They just couldn’t stop squeezing their son’s arms, making sure that he was really, really there.
Matan Angrest Sings with his dad and FaceTimes Keith Siegel
There was real concern about how the soldiers held in captivity would return, but Matan Angrest returned in incredibly good humor. He talked to Keith Siegel, with whom he was held in captivity, and sang Omer Adam with his father.
The nation’s most famous singer of Mizrahi music then called Angrest to wish him a warm welcome back and to sing together.
A “Shehechiyanu” from Yosef Haim Ohana’s and Eitan Mor’s parents
The Jewish prayer, typically recited when we do something for the first time and used to mark significant events, was used by many a parent today, but Yosef Haim Ohana’s father said it with particular gusto, as he cried about how he missed his son for the past two years and called him his heart.
Tzvika and Efrat Mor also recited the prayer when embracing their son Eitan Mor.
Avinatan Or reunites with Noa Argamani
The last time we saw images of Avinatan Or was on October 7, getting captured along with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, from the Nova Party. The two were held apart in Gaza, but after Argamani was rescued from Rafah, she kept fighting for her boyfriend to come back. And now, finally, they are together at last. Avinatan’s parents were the first to see him, and he told them how much he waited to tell them he loves them. But all his excitement unleashed when he saw his girlfriend.
“Noa Argamani, habibti,” he said, embracing her and using the Arabic term of endearment.
“Habibi,” she replied in kind.
He kissed her and told her how lovely she looked.
Brothers Eitan and Iair Horn reunite
The two Argentinian-Israeli brothers from Nir Oz were held together for almost 500 days before Iair was released in early 2025. After months apart, they were finally reunited in a hug that means the world, and of course, they wore their favorite Hapoel Tel Aviv shirts.
David and Ariel Cunio prank their family
The two brothers who were held apart, and whose families were also captured — David’s wife Sharon and twin daughters Yuli and Emma were released in November 2023, while Arbel Yahud, Ariel’s partner, was released in the second hostage deal earlier this year — quickly found their prankster spirits.
They hid in a corner and yelled “boo” as their loved ones came into the room. But the kiss between Sharon and David, and the embrace between Arbel and Ariel, as their parents and David’s twin brother, Eitan, lovingly looked on, showed the deep emotions behind the playful antics.
Of course, we are also thinking of the families of Bipin Joshi, Guy Ilouz, Yossi Sharabi and Daniel Peretz, who will finally get to bury their loved ones. We hope the rest of the families of the hostages finally get to do the same, and that they will finally be afforded at least some closure to their harrowing journeys.
Our hearts are with all these families, in grief and in joy.
