‘My life, you hero!’: Emotional videos show returned hostages reuniting with their families

Freed Israeli hostages were reunited with their families amid tears, cries of joy and embraces on Monday at the military base in Re’im near the Gaza border, after two years of captivity by the Hamas terror group.

The last 20 living hostages were all returned on Monday, following a partial withdrawal by the Israeli military in the Strip, and amid a ceasefire with the terror group ahead of planned talks on the enclave’s future.

After being picked up by the Red Cross from Hamas and then handed off to the Israeli military, each hostage was brought to Re’im to meet their immediate family.

From there, they were brought to hospitals, where they will begin the process of rehabilitation, and where they will be able to reunite with more family and friends.

Guy Gilboa-Dalal’s family greeted him in Re’im wearing matching t-shirts that read: “Guy is home. The heart is whole again.”

In celebratory photos posted online, Gilboa-Dalal was seen hoisting his sister in the air and embracing his family, his father wrapped in an Israeli flag.

שוב מחייך: גיא גלבוע דלאל התאחד עם בני משפחתו pic.twitter.com/gLfd0PABMC

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) October 13, 2025

Photos were also shared of his family and friends gathered together to watch news of his return on television.

Similar photos and videos circulated showing other hostages’ loved ones, including those of Avinatan Or and Evyatar David, who broke into cheers upon seeing each of the hostages released, in what appeared to be decent physical condition.

Photos later released showed Or reuniting with his girlfriend, and former hostage, Noa Argamani.

Or was kidnapped from the Nova music festival alongside Argamani, who was rescued by Israeli forces in June 2024.

On October 7, Hamas released a video of the pair’s kidnapping that has become one of the most well-known videos from that day.

Aragamni, who was rescued in a military raid in June 2024, has toured the world tirelessly since then, urging for his release and that of the other hostages.

Zvika and Efrat Mor, the parents of Eitan Mor, posted a photo of themselves hugging their son on social media.

“Our beloved Eitan, how much we have waited for you, how much we have waited to finally see you after two years. We saw you for the last time today, on [the final day of the Sukkot holiday] two years ago, and today we embrace you back into the family.”

Shortly thereafter, video was shared by the IDF of the family being reunited. In the video, Zvika and Efrat are wrapped in Israeli flags; Zvika is loudly, visibly weeping with joy, and Efrat pronounces a traditional blessing for the occasion.

Zvika has led the Tikva Forum, a small group of hostage families who raised alarms about the cost of releasing Palestinian prisoners in deals and urged ramped-up military pressure on Hamas instead. The forum opposed the first two, partial, hostage-ceasefire deals, but endorsed the final one, to secure the release of all hostages, disarm Hamas and demilitarize Gaza.

Upon seeing his son alive, he expressed nothing but gratitude, quoting a Psalm said during Sukkot prayers: “This is the day the Lord has made known to us, and we will rejoice in it.”

Another emotional reunion was between Yosef-Haim Ohana and his father.

Yosef-Chaim Ohana reunited with his father after two long years. They waited so long for this hug ???? pic.twitter.com/k9x8bZIzQd

— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) October 13, 2025

Einav Zangauker, perhaps the most recognizable face among the hostage families thanks to her fierce public battle to secure the return of her son, ran to embrace her son Matan Zangauker. “My life, my life, you champion, you hero!” she exclaimed.

Released hostage Matan Zangauker reunites with his mother, Einav, at the IDF’s Re’im base, October 13, 2025. (Courtesy)

Released hostage Bar Kuperstein hugged his father Tal Kuperstein, who stood up from his wheelchair; it was the first time his son saw him stand since Tal underwent a neurological incident during surgery before October 7.

Tal continued standing, his arm around Bar, who was wrapped in an Israeli flag, alongside Bar’s mother, Julie, his grandmother and his brother, all holding an Israeli flag.

The family sent out a statement, giving thanks that Kuperstein made it home.

“Two years of an impossible journey — two years in which we did everything we could to make sure everyone knew who Bar is — and now, everyone will finally get to truly know him,” wrote the family.

Omri Miran was reunited with his wife, Lishay Miran-Lavi, at the Re’im base, from which he spoke to his daughters Roni, 4, and Alma, 2, on a video call on a tablet.

According to a Channel 12 report, Lavi told his wife that he would soon find out how Alma, who was only six months old when Omri was taken hostage, had learned how to say “Abba” (“Daddy” in Hebrew).

The former hostage was then flown to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv to see the girls in person, where he was photographed and filmed playing with them for the first time since his release.

Released hostage Omri Miran is reunited with his daughters Roni, 4, and Alma, 2, and wife Lishay Miran-Lavi, at Ichilov Hospital after he was released from Hamas captivity in Gaza on October 13, 2025 (GPO)

Elkana Bohbot, similarly, was reunited in Re’im with his wife Rivkah, and would soon see his son Re’em, who is now 5.

Twins Gali and Ziv Berman, upon their release, quickly changed into shirts celebrating the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team, of which they’re both fervent fans.

In photos shared online, the twins’ parents were seen breaking into tears as they watched news of their release on television.

משפחותיהם של גלי וזיו ברמן, עמרי מירן ואיתן מור צופות ברגעי שחרור יקיריהן pic.twitter.com/BrKisr76pH

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) October 13, 2025

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum shared a photo of Bar Kuperstein reuniting with his family, who held a modified Israeli flag with the words: “Always in the hands of the Creator of the world.”

Reunited with fellow hostage, after months of separation

Freed hostage Matan Angrest, who was wearing a green Maccabi Haifa scarf around his neck, reunited not just with his family but also with Keith Siegel, with whom he was held hostage until Siegel’s release earlier this year as part of a previous deal.

“I love you so much and your family is as wonderful as you told me,” said Siegel from the Hostages Forum offices in Tel Aviv.

“Thank you,” said Angrest.

“We’ll reunite as soon as the moment is right, I’ll be there,” said Siegel. “You’re a hero, Matan, how you were able to survive.”

In his own photo taken as he rode in a helicopter to the hospital alongside his parents, Angrest, a soldier, wrote a tribute to the other members of his tank crew, who were killed in the same battle with Hamas during which he was abducted on October 7.

“You are the kings of the lions; thanks to all the heroes in uniform — Am Yisrael Chai!”

Israeli Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar flew the helicopter that transported the released hostage soldier Nimrod Cohen and his family from the IDF’s Re’im base to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv on Monday, the military said.

Cohen was the only survivor of four soldiers who were in a tank that was attacked by Hamas terrorists on the Gaza border during the October 7, 2023, onslaught with RPG fire and explosive devices.

Infamous footage from the attack showed Palestinians in civilian clothing standing on and around their tank while it was wreathed in smoke and flames, and the soldiers being dragged out by Hamas terrorists.

Footage from the Re’im military base showed freed hostage Eitan Horn tearfully embracing his brother, Iair Horn, who was released from captivity in February, as well as his mother, Ruti Strum.

Originally from Kfar Saba, Eitan was visiting his brother Iair at the Nir Oz kibbutz on October 7 when they were both kidnapped.

For most of the war, the two were held with three other hostages in a filthy cell underground. In early February, terrorists filmed the emotional interaction between the brothers as they were told that Iair would be released and Eitan would stay in Gaza.