After 738 days in captivity, Bar Kuperstein was released on October 13, 2025, as part of phase one of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza. This is the story of Bar Kuperstein’s capture:
Bar Kuperstein, 22, was part of the staff at the Supernova desert rave on the morning of October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists launched a massive assault on the party.
His family called him as sirens began sounding throughout the country, and were only able to find his last phone location at 8 a.m.
Hours later, his aunt found Hamas videos and photos of Kuperstein, tied up on the ground.
“Since then, we don’t know anything, we just know what we saw in the Hamas photos,” said his aunt, Ora, in several videos posted online.
Kuperstein began to care for those shot and injured by terrorists, instead of running and escaping, according to survivors who were in touch with his family.
“He tried to protect others and to fight, without ammunition,” said his aunt.
Kuperstein’s family, from Holon, is distraught and “out of their minds with worry,” said Ora.
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