Hope Amid Heartbreak: The Stories Behind the Freed Israeli Hostages

Published: 13 October. The English Chronicle Desk.

After months of anguish and uncertainty, the Israeli military has confirmed that 20 living hostages have been released by Hamas and have safely returned to Israel. This latest development marks a deeply emotional moment in the continuing aftermath of the conflict that erupted on 7 October 2023, when Hamas militants launched a large-scale assault on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and abducting 251 others. According to reports from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, Israel’s military response has since claimed the lives of more than 67,000 Palestinians.

The newly freed hostages are part of a dwindling group of those taken during that harrowing day. Until Monday, Israeli authorities believed that 48 hostages remained in captivity in Gaza, though some are now presumed dead. For the families who have spent a year waiting for answers, every release brings both relief and renewed sorrow, as many still await word of their loved ones.

Among those freed is Ariel Cunio, 28, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His brother Eitan recalled Ariel’s final message before his capture: “We are in a horror movie.” Ariel’s partner, Arbel Yehud, was released in January 2025 during a ceasefire that saw Hamas hand over 25 living and eight deceased hostages. Ariel’s brother David Cunio, 35, remains missing. David’s wife Sharon and their twin daughters, Ema and Yuly, were freed during a November 2023 truce, while Sharon’s sister Danielle Aloni and niece Emilia were also released.

Other recently freed captives include Gali and Ziv Berman, 28-year-old twin brothers taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, who were abducted along with their neighbour Emily Damari. Emily was released earlier this year, but the Bermans’ fate remained unknown until now. Their family had been informed by other released hostages that they were still alive in early 2025.

Matan Angrest, 22, an IDF soldier, was captured after his tank was attacked near the Gaza border. Videos from the day showed him unconscious and injured. Released hostages later reported that Matan had suffered from untreated burns, infections, and asthma during captivity. Matan Zangauker, 25, another Israeli soldier, was taken alongside his partner Ilana Gritzewsky, who was freed during the November 2023 truce. A video released by Hamas in December 2024 showed Matan describing dire conditions — hunger, sickness, and a lack of medical care.

The long ordeal has also touched numerous families from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Eitan Horn, 38, an Israeli-Argentine dual national, was kidnapped with his brother Yair. When Yair was freed in February 2025, Hamas released a video of the brothers embracing and weeping before the separation. “Every day we imagined what we’d do if we were freed,” Yair later said.

Another freed hostage, Omri Miran, 48, was abducted from his home in Nahal Oz. His wife, Lishay, last saw him being driven away in his car, while she and their two daughters were spared. In April 2025, Hamas released a video of Omri marking his 48th birthday in captivity. “I always knew Omri is a survivor,” his wife said after seeing the footage.

Several of those freed were among the hundreds taken from the Nova music festival, where scenes of horror unfolded. Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24, was kidnapped while his brother escaped. Videos released in August 2025 showed Guy and another hostage, Alon Ohel, being transported through Gaza. Alon, who holds Israeli, German, and Serbian citizenship, was later seen in new footage that revealed he had lost sight in one eye.

The trauma extends to others like Yosef-Chaim Ohana, 25, and Elkana Bohbot, 36, who were shown in Hamas videos appearing emaciated and ill. Elkana’s wife, Rikva, said his last words to her were a promise to come home. His condition was described by released hostages as “inhumane.”

Avinatan Or, 32, was kidnapped alongside his girlfriend Noa Argamani, who became a global symbol of the hostage crisis when footage of her abduction circulated widely. Noa was rescued in June 2024 in a dramatic Israeli military operation. Avinatan’s mother has since said she only wishes to “hear her son’s heartbeat again.”

Others, like Eitan Mor, 25, who worked security at the Nova festival, reportedly saved dozens before being taken. Released hostages described him as “a spokesman to the captors,” helping lift spirits in captivity. Maxim Herkin, 37, an Israeli-Russian dual citizen, was also among those seen in Hamas propaganda videos — his injuries visible, reportedly caused by Israeli air strikes.

Yet for many families, the agony continues. The fate of Tamir Nimrodi, 20, and Bipin Joshi, a 24-year-old Nepali agricultural student abducted from Kibbutz Alumim, remains uncertain. Bipin’s family released footage described as “proof of life,” though Israeli authorities now believe he may not have survived.

Meanwhile, several hostages have been confirmed dead. Among them are Tamir Adar, 38, a father-of-two from Nir Oz; Sonthaya Akrasri, 30, a Thai agricultural worker; and Muhammad al-Atarash, 39, a Bedouin sergeant-major in the IDF. The deaths of Sahar Baruch, Uriel Baruch, and Inbar Hayman — the last known female hostage — have been equally devastating, each representing the human toll of a conflict that has scarred families on both sides of the border.

For now, the latest releases offer a fragile glimpse of hope amid continuing tragedy. The reunions, often broadcast on Israeli television, have been marked by tears and embraces — fleeting moments of relief in a crisis defined by suffering and loss. Yet with dozens still unaccounted for, the families of those left behind continue their desperate vigil, clinging to faith that their loved ones, too, may one day return home.

The emotional weight of this tragedy has once again reignited calls for renewed diplomacy and humanitarian intervention. As both Israel and Hamas weigh their next moves, the world watches — hopeful that compassion and dialogue might yet prevail where violence has long ruled.

In the words of one freed hostage, whispered through tears upon return: “We survived the darkness. Now we just want peace.”