The father of freed hostage Yosef Chaim Ohana said Wednesday that his son managed to hide his military background from the Hamas terrorists who held him captive in Gaza for nearly two years.
Avi Ohana told Kan Moreshet radio that his son, a former combat soldier and commander in the IDF’s Givati Brigade, survived severe abuse in captivity. “They were tortured in ways the army had never imagined,” he said. “They put seven men in one pit, forced to stand and lean against the wall. I thank God for creating him strong. Every morning I would go to pray at Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai’s tomb, and another morning at the Western Wall. It helped me. It was also a battle of faith.”
Other hostages also managed to conceal their military service from their captors. After their return, it became known that Bar Kupershtein and Rom Braslavski were both serving in the IDF when they were kidnapped. Braslavski was part of the Central Command logistics division, while Kupershtein served as a combat soldier in the Nahal Brigade’s 932nd Battalion. Contrary to rumors that circulated online, Avinatan Or had not served in Sayeret Matkal, the IDF’s elite reconnaissance unit, but in Sayeret Rimon, which was disbanded in 2018 and merged into the IDF Commando Brigade.
Avi Ohana described the conditions his son endured underground. “It was a great miracle,” he said. “He told us so many things we didn’t know. After the deal was signed, we thought they were taking them out of the tunnels to prepare for release. I asked him, ‘Was it really like that?’ He told me, ‘Dad, from the moment the deal was signed, they put me with six others and took us down a staircase—down and down and down. We thought we’d reach another tunnel, but they put us in a pit so small that seven men couldn’t sit. We could barely stand and lean on the wall. There was so little oxygen that we could have died from that alone.’”
He said that at one point, the terrorists gave the hostages a small radio so they could hear the Muslim call to prayer. “Not so they could listen to broadcasts, just the muezzin,” Avi said. “But they saw electric cables running through the tunnels and managed to connect them to the radio. He told me, ‘Dad, you won’t believe it—Elkana Bohbot and I caught Galatz (Army Radio), and we heard you being interviewed. It gave me strength.’”
The father added, “They will never be forgiven. I’m waiting for God’s revenge to begin. For two years I couldn’t sleep from sorrow—now I can’t sleep from excitement. From every story we understand how much greater the miracle was. Yosef Chaim told me, ‘There were times we thought we’d be there for five or 10 years—if we survived at all.’”
Defense Minister Israel Katz met with freed hostage Bar Kuperstein on Wednesday at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. “I got my life back,” Kuperstein told him. Katz praised him for his bravery on Oct. 7, when he helped participants at the Nova music festival and provided medical aid to some before being captured by the Hamas terrorists. Katz reaffirmed that bringing back all remaining hostages and the bodies of those killed remains Israel’s top priority, “alongside dismantling Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza.”
President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog also met with twins Gali and Ziv Berman at Sheba. The president later wrote on X that the two “entered the hearts of an entire nation” and said he was deeply moved to see them safe and reunited with their family.
Moshe Or, the brother of freed hostage Avinatan Or, told Ynet that his brother had been held alone for nearly the entire duration of his captivity. “He went through an incredibly hard time,” Moshe said. “He was completely alone for two years—barely even around Palestinians, let alone Israelis. He didn’t eat much, lived in extremely harsh conditions, but he came through like a hero. His spirit never broke. He came back stronger than ever, mentally.”
He said Avinatan’s “mind is sharp. He wants to learn and make up for everything he missed. It’s amazing to see how he bounced back, even stronger than when he left.”
On his brother’s failed escape attempt, he said, “It doesn’t surprise me. Avinatan is strong and resourceful. When I heard about it, I thought—it fits him perfectly. He’s as tough as a cedar tree, and if anyone could try something like that, it’s him.”
He added that Avinatan is now “hungry for life,” catching up on world news, Israeli politics, and events that took place during his absence. “He’s eating a lot, he loves burgers and good food. He’s a real foodie. Everyone’s spoiling him now.”
Earlier this week, Avinatan sent a video message to his friends, joking, “Wait, is this recording? I don’t know this technology—I was disconnected for two years! My dear friends, I’m so happy to see you. I saw you all today from the van—it was crazy. We’ll meet soon, I believe. I’m fine, just tired and exhausted. We’ll catch up soon. I love you all. Happy holiday.”
Two days after their grandson Matan Angrest was freed, his grandparents Moti and Rina Angrest described their emotional reunion. “It was so moving,” Moti told i24 News. “We hugged him, and the tears wouldn’t stop. It’s endless love. We helped raise him. Seeing him alive and standing before us is something we’ll never forget.”
Moti said Matan was thin and weak after enduring nearly two years in captivity but had begun rehabilitation. Rina said, “We truly can’t believe it—it’s such a great miracle. We were living a nightmare for two years and finally woke up. We were like robots, running from meetings to delegations abroad. We put our lives aside and focused only on Matan.”
After Matan spoke with singer Omer Adam, the family said singer Shlomo Artzi came to the hospital to sing with them. “He hugged us—this is the beautiful face of Israel. We have a wonderful people,” Moti said.
Rina added that her grandson said songs by Omer Adam, Shlomo Artzi and Eyal Golan helped him endure captivity. “He sang them all the time,” she said.
Moti said Matan apologized to his grandparents. “He told us, ‘It was hard for you. I made it harder for you for two years.’ That says it all—he takes everything on himself. He’s an extraordinary person. He saved us—that’s what he did. He’s a giant of a man, he and his entire team, Team Peretz.”