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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 649

Omer Wenkert

Released hostage Omer Wenkert speaks to the Israel Bar Association conference on May 25, 2025. (Screen capture via Walla)
May 25, 2025, 11:21 pm
Former hostage says Hamas captors sprayed him in the eyes with pesticide
Omer Wenkert tells Bar Association Conference of torture in captivity, says he was ‘intentionally starved,’ held alone for six months and beaten with an iron rod
By ToI Staff
A handout photo shows freed captive Omer Wenkert addressing a rally at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, April 5, 2025. (Paulina Patimer/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)
April 6, 2025, 3:36 am
‘See the tears in our eyes’: Ex-captive Wenkert urges cabinet to invite him to meeting
At weekly rallies, freed hostages demand return to deal; Liri Albag ahead of Passover, the festival of freedom: ‘What kind of freedom is it when 59 people are still in Hamas hell?’
By Noam Lehmann and ToI Staff
Freed hostage Omer Wenkert speaks with Channel 12 news in an interview aired on March 11, 2025. (Channel 12 screenshot used in accordance with article 27a of the Copyright Law)
March 12, 2025, 4:35 am
Ex-hostage says he always knew when truce talks failed because captors would beat him
Omer Wenkert also recalls ‘coming to terms with death’ on October 7, spending nearly 200 days alone in a cell and refusing to let Hamas terrorists see him humiliated
By ToI Staff
Freed hostage Eliya Cohen (left) reunites with family members at the Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, February 22, 2025. (Haim Zach/GPO); National Security Itamar Ben Gvir arrives for a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. January 17, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
February 25, 2025, 10:54 am
Released hostage says Ben Gvir’s comments worsened conditions in captivity
Successful rescue mission of four captives in June led Hamas captors to tie abductees together in chains to obstruct future operations, says ex-hostage Eliya Cohen
By ToI Staff
The six hostages released on February 22, 2025 reunite with their families. Top row from left: Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, Avera Mengistu. Bottom row from left: Hisham al-Sayed, Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham. (IDF)
February 22, 2025, 11:34 pm
Hostages were chained, starved, kept in pitch black; some return almost unresponsive
Hamas made 2 hostages not going free watch release ceremony from a vehicle near the stage; Omer Shem Tov, abducted from Nova festival, was held alone in a tunnel for some 450 days
By Emanuel Fabian, Lazar Berman, Michael Bachner, Charlie Summers, Leon Kraiem and ToI Staff
Israeli hostages released February 22, 2025 (left to right): Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu seen on stage in Rafah (Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP/Jehad Alshrafi/AP Photo); Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov and Omer Wenkert on stage in Nuseirat (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Photo); Hisham al-Sayed in Gaza (X screenshot)
February 22, 2025, 4:53 pm
Hamas frees final 6 living hostages in phase 1 of deal; all reunite with family in Israel
October 7 captives Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Eliya Cohen back after over 500 days in Hamas captivity; Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed return after decade in Gaza
By ToI Staff and Emanuel Fabian
Omer Wenkert was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists from the Supernova desert rave on October 7, 2023 (Courtesy)
November 21, 2023, 8:30 pm
Omer Wenkert released from Hamas captivity after 505 days
Wenkert, who suffers from an autoimmune disease, was capture at the Supernova festival on Oct. 7, 2023, and returned to Israel on Feb. 22, 2025, as part of a mediated deal
By ToI Staff
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