Families, friends elated at return of four Oct. 7 hostages: ‘Unforgettable moments’

Families and friends of four hostages released on Saturday after 505 days in Hamas captivity popped champagne, cooked their loved ones’ favorite food, expressed relief and concern at the captives’ appearance, and urged the government to bring back those still in Gaza.

Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen, Omer Wenkert and Tal Shoham were abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages, sparking the war in Gaza.

They were released as part of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, along with Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu, who were abducted separately almost a decade ago.

Shoham, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri, was released with Mengistu from Rafah in the morning, and Cohen, Wenkert and Shem Tov, who were kidnapped from the Reim-area Nova music festival, were released in central Gaza’s Nuseirat at noon. Al-Sayed was released later from Gaza City.

Tal Shoham’s family: ‘Bring fathers back to their children’

Shoham, 40, was snatched from the home of his wife Adi’s parents in Kibbutz Be’eri. Adi, whose father was murdered, and Shoham’s young children Yahel and Naveh, were also kidnapped, and released in the November 2023 truce-hostage deal.

Tal and Adi Shoham’s said in a statement via the Hostages and Missing Families Forum that they were “moved to welcome Tal back to us.”

“This is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions are rapidly mixing together,” they said. “Our Tal is with us.”

Thanking the public for its solidarity, and asking for privacy as Shoham recuperates, the families added: “Our only request is to seize this window of opportunity to secure a deal that will bring fathers back to their children. Children need their fathers.”

“Return all hostages home: the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for eternal rest,” they said. “There is a window of opportunity; we must not miss it.”

Tal Shoham could be seen waving enthusiastically to supporters en route to the hospital in Israel.

His aunt Nora and uncles Ariel and Gadi were quoted by the Walla news site saying although he “looks a little pale, a bit thin… he’ll recuperate. We’re a strong family.”

“We’re just waiting to hug [him], not question or bug him. Let him recover,” they said.

Relatives and classmates of Shoham gathered at a central Tel Aviv restaurant to watch his release.

The Shoham family reacts as hostage Tal Shoham returns from Hamas captivity, at a rendezvous point on the Gaza border, February 22, 2025. (IDF)

They described joy at Shoham’s return coupled with sadness for fellow classmate Tamir Adar, whose body was captured after he was killed fending off invading terrorists in Kibbutz Nir Oz. They also expressed sorrow for Shoham’s friends, the Bibas family, following the return of the bodies of mother Shiri and her young sons Ariel and Kfir this week.

Ofer Shemesh, a friend of Shoham’s, told Kan there had been no information on the hostage since his abduction. He said he felt “happiness and sadness, extreme feelings” at Shoham’s release.

“I want everyone to picture their best friend coming home,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a greater joy…It’s like a resurrection.”

Shoham’s wife Adi has posted on social media a letter containing questions her children have asked about their father’s captivity, such as “When is Dad coming home?”

Other questions included, “When dad comes home, will he be old?” and “Are there other dads held hostage?”

Eliya Cohen ‘looks much better than I had hoped’

Cohen’s family said they were “overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude,” and had no information about his condition until he was released.

“This moment, which should be filled with joy, is also accompanied by pain over what he endured there, and for the families of those killed in the war,” said the family. “Finally, Eliya can be surrounded by his loved ones, his family, and his girlfriend, and begin a new path.”

Dozens of Cohen’s friends were celebrating his return at the home of his girlfriend Ziv Abud in Tel Aviv. Abud had survived the Hamas onslaught at Nova, while her nephew was murdered. Cohen was reportedly unaware until his release that Abud had survived.

The families of Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert and Eliya Cohen watch from a rendezvous point on the Gaza border as their loved ones return from Hamas captivity, February 22, 2025. (IDF)

Cohen’s relatives were gathered at the family home in Modiin. Upon his nephew’s release, Cohen’s uncle Kobi said to Channel 12: “Thank God, he looks much better than I had hoped.”

“On the face of it he seems to be in pretty good spirits,” said the uncle. “I want to hug him and kiss him and start the rehabilitation process already.”

Asked what the first thing he will say to Eliya is, he responded: “Blessed be the Creator who helped us, and welcome back to life.”

“We have to bring everyone back,” he said. “Everyone needs to feel what we are feeling.”

Omer Shem Tov’s grandmother made his favorite food

Shem Tov’s family said “after 505 days of suffering and nightmare,” they can hug him again.

“Thank you to the Creator, to the people of Israel for their prayers, strength, and love. Thank you to the soldiers who sacrificed for this moment, to everyone involved in the negotiations and diplomatic effort,” they said.

“We will continue to fight together with all the families and the Hostages Families Forum,” they said. “Our lives are intertwined until everyone returns.”

Itay and Maya Regev, who were kidnapped alongside Shem Tov and released in the November 2023 deal, said their “triangle is complete again.”

“Our heart is finally beating as it should, now that our best friend has returned home, they said. “We pray and hope to witness many more moments like this. We will not stop fighting until everyone returns home.”

At Hamas’s propaganda handover ceremony, Shem Tov appeared to smile and wave ebulliently, and was directed to kiss two of the masked Hamas gunmen on the tops of their heads by the terror group’s cameramen, who were filming the carefully staged event.

Shem Tov’s father Malki said his son’s wide smile encapsulated his personality.

“Omer is thinner… but is upbeat, upbeat, the most positive-minded in the world,” Shem Tov told Channel 12 in a video call from the rendezvous point as he awaits his son.

“We didn’t even know what he would look like. He just came out and surprised us all, with the smile, the wave — it’s just crazy,” he says.

Malki’s mother Sara, at a family gathering at their home in Herzliya, also said her grandson Omer’s smile is characteristic.

“That’s Omer,” she said. “He’s just that kind of kid… He gets on with everyone. Even Hamas… They love him even there.”

Sara Shem Tov told the Kan public broadcaster she had prepared stuffed vine leaves to take to the hospital where he will be treated. Former hostage Itai Regev had reported that he said he missed Sara’s stuffed vine leaves, she told Kan.

Dozens of Shem Tov’s supporters also gathered at his former school in Herzliya, and cheered wildly as he was released.

Omer Wenkert’s friends ‘concerned for every bit of him’

At Wenkert’s family home in Gadera, friends were dancing. Asked what they would say on his return, one friend told the Kan public broadcaster: “Nothing. We’ll just hug him.”

At Wenkert’s request, his airlift passed over Gadera, where a crowd of supporters held up a large sign welcoming him home, according to the Maariv newspaper.

Wenkert’s mother Niva had addressed his assembled friends in a video message Saturday morning, Ynet reported: “I love you. We’ll all meet soon.”

The news site reported that after his release, Wenkert’s supporters danced to the tune of the Smachot band’s 2001 track “What a Day it was for Samuel,” his favorite song.

תושבי גדרה נערכים עם שלט ענק לכבוד עומר ונקרט, שאמור לעבור במסוק מעל העיר@ItsikSaban pic.twitter.com/GDsqYuM8Im

— ישראל היום (@IsraelHayomHeb) February 22, 2025

Osher Yifrach, a friend of Wenkert’s, told Kan that “everyone here is hyped up, we’re insanely ecstatic.” He said Wenkert’s friends could not rest until he was safely in Israel’s hands.

“We’ve been fighting for over 500 days,” he said. “The excitement is massive, and we are unbelievably concerned for every bit of him.”

Wenkert suffers from colitis, which requires patients to eat a specialized diet unavailable to him in captivity.

“He’s thinned a lot, which is concerning,” said Yifrach, straining to be heard over the loud dance music.

“We were under enormous pressure because [the disease] could have done him a lot of damage. I hope it hasn’t already,” he said. “But we knew he could do it. We believed in him.”

Over his sweatshirt, Yifrach wore a shirt reading “Bring Omer Home” in Hebrew. Asked if the shirt is now superfluous, he points to his yellow hostages’ pin and said: “The shirt is, the pin isn’t.”

Informed that Wenkert was in Israel’s hands, he removed the shirt: “Come on! There’s a reason to party!”