For the first time in two years, Yosef Chaim Ohana met with friends who survived the Nova music festival massacre, from which he was abducted on October 7, 2023. The emotional reunion took place Tuesday evening at Sheba Medical Center, where Ohana is recovering after being freed from Hamas captivity.
“We met about an hour ago. Yosef Chaim told us he had no idea who among us was alive, dead, kidnapped or safe,” said Neta Abir Lev, one of his close friends, in an interview with Ynet. “He was shocked.”
Abir Lev said she and other friends felt compelled to apologize to him. “We said sorry that we came back and he was kidnapped. He was upset by the apology but happy to hear we were alive,” she said.
His friends, brothers Neriya and Daniel Sharabi, described the reunion as surreal. “It’s crazy, like a dream come true,” Daniel said. “Fifty of us went to that party - only Yosef was abducted."
Sharabi shared that life seemed to stop since the massacre until this joyful moment. “The night before Hamas' attack, Yosef had dinner with us for Simchat Torah. We went to the festival together, and since then, it felt like life just froze. Seeing him today feels like the beginning of a new life. We prayed for this moment. It’s a miracle.”
Alongside the joy of reunion came moments of disbelief for Ohana, 24, from Kiryat Malachi. Abir Lev said he was stunned to learn how widely known he had become. “He couldn’t believe everyone in Kiryat Malachi knew him. We told him it’s not just in the city, he’s known across the country and the world."
Avi Ohana meets his son Yosef Chaim Ohana for the first time
Ohana was equally amazed by how much had changed during his time spent in captivity. “He was stunned by how much technology has advanced, asking, ‘There’s already an iPhone 17? When I was taken, it was 14,’” said Abir Lev. “He didn’t even know what ChatGPT was.”
On Monday, dozens of friends and relatives gathered to witness Ohana’s release after 738 days in captivity. “I feel like I’m dreaming, like I’m on a cloud, seeing my son alive and well,” his father said. “Thank God! We thank the IDF soldiers!” Not long after, he was reunited with him in person.
Ohana was working as a bartender at the Nova festival in Re’im when Hamas terrorists attacked. He helped evacuate the wounded to ambulances outside the venue. His friends describe him as deeply beloved; one even tattooed his portrait on his body.
“He and his friend were helping evacuate the injured when the gunfire started,” Ohana’s mother, Miri Ben Ami, previously told Ynet. “They tried to run toward the main road, but an RPG was fired at them. Yosef Chaim ran left, his friend ran right and hid under a car. The friend, who was hit by the RPG, saw Yosef peeking from behind another vehicle. That was the last time he saw him."
The first confirmed sign of life from Ohana came this past March, when Hamas released a video showing him with fellow hostage Elkana Buchbut. Two months later, another video of the two was published. “I could see the distress in his eyes,” his father said at the time.