Tel Aviv, February 17 – After more than a year of uncertainty, families of some Israeli hostages taken to Gaza have received long-awaited signs of life, thanks to freed captives who have returned as part of a recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The messages, passed along by hostages released in recent weeks, have offered families both relief and renewed anguish as they learn about the dire conditions their loved ones continue to endure. So far, at least 10 hostages have been confirmed alive through these accounts, including Elkana Bohbut, a 35-year-old taken from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023.
His wife, Rivka Bohbot, spoke publicly about the moment she learned he was still alive. “500 terrible days have passed, and this week, thank God, we received a sign of life. Elkana is alive but suffering in inhuman conditions,” she said during a rally in Tel Aviv. She also shared that through a freed hostage, Elkana asked her to listen to the song Warrior, drawing strength from its lyrics. Fighting back tears, she sent him a message of hope: “Don’t break, my beloved. Soon you will be home.”
Another hostage, 24-year-old pianist Alon Ohel, was able to send a birthday message to his sister through a released captive. His mother, Idit, said he is injured and shackled in a tunnel, surviving on minimal food. “It was incredible to hear from her brother on her birthday,” she said, overwhelmed with emotion.
Hope and Desperation After 500 Days
The release of some hostages has intensified calls for the return of the 73 still in captivity. On Saturday, families and supporters staged nationwide protests in Israel, marking 500 days since their loved ones were taken.
Among those still missing are twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, 27, abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Their family, who last heard of their wellbeing in November 2023, recently received confirmation that they are still alive. “The sign of life gave us air to breathe,” said their aunt, Makabit Mayer. “But we know whose hands they are in, and everything can change in a moment.”
For some families, even these signs of life are not enough. Lishay Lavi Miran, whose husband Omri Miran was kidnapped from their home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, expressed the emotional toll of waiting. “Every morning I wake up and I’m still in October 7,” she said. Their young daughter, now three and a half, continues to ask when her father will return.
A War That Continues
The October 7 attack by Hamas left around 1,200 people dead in southern Israel, with 251 taken hostage. Since then, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has resulted in more than 48,000 Palestinian deaths, according to health officials in the enclave, with much of the territory devastated by ongoing airstrikes and ground operations.
While the recent ceasefire has facilitated hostage releases, families of those still in captivity remain in limbo, balancing hope and despair as they wait for a resolution.
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