From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
‘Finally together’: Freed twin hostages tell Herzog of surprise reunion after two years apart
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleNava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
President Isaac Herzog paid a visit to the freed twin hostages Gali and Ziv Berman, who were released on Monday after two years of captivity in Gaza.
In a video shared on his X account, Herzog and his wife, Michal, warmly welcome the brothers back to Israel at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, telling them about how closely the Israeli public has followed their captivity and how bravely their “exceptional” family has advocated for their release.
When told how moving it was to see a photo of the brothers embracing upon their release, Gali confirms to Herzog that the brothers were held separately before being freed and were unaware that they would be reunited on Monday.
“We didn’t know where [the other twin] was. Suddenly, they brought him out,” Gali tells the president, describing the moment he saw his twin.
Channel 12 reported that the twins were held separately and completely cut off from the outside world during their captivity, and endured periods of a lack of food.
“The twins, Gali and Ziv Berman, entered the hearts of an entire nation. We were thrilled to see them finally together, protected and surrounded by their loving family,” Herzog writes on X, adding that Israel is “waiting for everyone” to return, in reference to the bodies of deceased hostages that remain in Gaza.
התאומים גלי וזיו ברמן נכנסו ללבבות של עם שלם.
התרגשנו לראות אותם סוף סוף יחד, מוגנים ומוקפים במשפחתם האוהבת ובצוותי הרפואה של המרכז הרפואי שיבא תל השומר.מחכים לכולם. pic.twitter.com/847J6fibqb
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) October 15, 2025
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