“Seeing my brother again after all this time feels like waking up from a nightmare,” said Nimrod Cohen’s sister, holding back tears as she embraced him for the first time since his abduction near Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Photos released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum showed the freed captives looking pale but in better health than some previously released in early 2024.
Who Were the Freed Israeli Hostages?
The hostages came from diverse backgrounds, many of them abducted during the Nova music festival or from southern Israeli kibbutzim near Gaza. Among those released:
- Alon Ohel, 24, was abducted after fleeing the Nova festival.
- David and Ariel Cunio, brothers taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
- Eitan Horn, 38, was kidnapped while visiting family.
- Matan Zangauker, 25, a muscular dystrophy patient abducted from his home in Nir Oz.
- Omri Miran, 48, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz.
- Twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, 28, were taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
The full list of freed hostages reflects the human toll of a conflict that has scarred both sides for years.
What Happens Next?
While the release has sparked global celebration, uncertainty looms over the next steps. As Israel begins to free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in return, analysts warn of the fragile nature of the ceasefire.
