Rimon Kirsht Buchshtav released from Gaza; husband Yagev still captive

Rimon Kirsht Buchshtav was released on November 28 as part of a temporary ceasefire deal brokered by Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel. Her husband Yagev, 34, is still captive in Gaza. This is the story of their capture:

Rimon Kirsht Buchshtav, 36, and her husband, Yagev Buchshtav, 34, were taken hostage from Kibbutz Nirim on October 7, when Hamas terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz as part of their multi-pronged massacre in southern Israel.

The couple met in high school and then reconnected years later, marrying in 2021. They were hiding in the safe room of their Nirim home on that morning. Rimon texted her family that she saw fire and terrorists shooting outside “everywhere.”

She sent her mother one last voice message — Rimon’s parents were also sheltering in a nearby community — “I love you, Mom. I’m so sorry I can’t be there with you. I love you.”

Yagev’s parents live in Nirim and were in touch with them that morning as well. He told his mother that he could hear voices speaking Arabic outside his window and later that they were shooting at his window. She told him to crouch down and stay protected. That was the last communication they had.

It took another week before the army could inform the Kirsht family that they believed that both Rimon and Yagev had been abducted to Gaza.

There were signs of struggle in their safe room, blood and bullet holes.

And then, three weeks after October 7, Hamas released a hostage video showing three kidnapped Israeli women, including Rimon.

The family noted that Rimon was very thin and not wearing her glasses, which she needs to see.

There was also no sign of Yagev in the hostage video.