Former hostage Ofer Calderon, who was released yesterday from Hamas captivity after 484 days in Gaza, only found out a few weeks ago that his son Rotem survived the onslaught of October 7, 2023.
Ofer’s cousin Eyal is quoted by Ynet as describing details the freed captive has told family members.
“He was in great uncertainty in captivity, and then found out from a media interview that his son was still alive,” Eyal Calderon says.
“It’s unfathomable what he went through there, but at least yesterday he was in a very positive state.
“There’s a long path ahead, rehabilitation will be lengthy and will have ups and downs. It’s important for people to know that yesterday’s images are misleading and don’t reflect what Ofer has been through. Captivity wasn’t a walk in the park. He’s gaining strength now, breathing in his children and starting to fathom what he went through in this year and a half.”
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this