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The families of Eliya Cohen, Omer Wenkert, Omer Sham Tov, Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu, and Hisham al-Sayed have been informed that they will be released alive from Hamas captivity this Saturday. Here are their stories as they prepare to leave the horrors of captivity behind.
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Hisham al-Sayed, Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham, Omer Wenkert and Avera Mengistu
(Photo: Reuters/Hannah McKay, Tomer Shonam Halevi)
Eliya Cohen kidnapped from the 'shelter of death'
Ziv Abud, the girlfriend of hostage Eliya Cohen, celebrated the news of his return Tuesday, writing on Instagram, "Eliya is coming home!"
Cohen had attended the Nova music festival with Abud, his nephew Amit ben Avida, and Amit’s girlfriend, Karin Shwarcman. When the Hamas terror attack began, the four took cover in a rocket shelter that later earned its grim nickname the "shelter of death". Ben Avida and Shwarcman were murdered, and Cohen was taken hostage. After the abduction, Abud learned that Cohen had planned to propose and had already purchased a ring.
Last week Abud revealed that testimony from former captives suggested Cohen was unaware she was still alive.
Cohen’s mother, Sigi, recently expressed horror over the dire conditions in which her son and Alon Ohel were being held. After the previous hostage release two weeks ago, Ahiel’s family received proof of life from him and disclosed the appalling conditions he and Cohen endured, including being chained.
In March, Abud walked through the streets of Tel Aviv while much of Israel celebrated Purim. She wore a yellow dress adorned with iron chains and pictures of hostages. At the center of the dress was a bleeding heart with Cohen’s photo. “Instead of standing under a wedding canopy in a white dress, I’m wearing yellow and holding a sign — my fiancé is a hostage in Gaza,” she said at the time.
Omer Wenkert’s last message to his family
Omer Wenkert and his friends arrived at the Nova music festival just an hour before the Hamas attack began. His final message to his family sent at 7:01 a.m. on Oct. 7, read: “I’m terrified.”
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Omer Wenkert and his parents at the moment of the news of his release
(Photo: Kobi Konaks)
The eldest of three children, Wenkert was diagnosed with colitis at 14, making him particularly vulnerable in captivity. His mother described him as “a wonderful brother with a special bond with his siblings —always smiling, friendly, and a people magnet.” Passionate about food, he invested both time and money into learning the industry, working his way up to managing a fine-dining restaurant. His dream was to become a food critic.
Eight grenades were thrown into the shelter where Wenkert was hiding. Kim was murdered, and Wenkert was among the few who survived.
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The eldest of three children, Wenkert was diagnosed with colitis at 14, making him particularly vulnerable in captivity. His mother described him as “a wonderful brother with a special bond with his siblings—always smiling, friendly and a people magnet.” Passionate about food, he invested both time and money into learning the industry, working his way up to managing a fine-dining restaurant. His dream was to become a food critic.
Omer Shem Tov was held with freed hostages
Omer Shem Tov, 22, from Herzliya, was kidnapped from the Nova festival and held in captivity alongside Itay and Maya Regev, who were freed in the November 2023 hostage deal.
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Omer Shem Tov and his family when hearing about the news of his return
(Photo: Screenshot)
His father, Malachi, told Ynet, “I hope he knows we’re moving heaven and earth for him, that he’s not alone. I imagine him imagining it, sensing that we’re making enormous efforts. I wish I could send him a message to give him strength, some kind of sign.”
When humanitarian groups arranged for medication to be sent to hostages, his family ensured an inhaler was included for him. “I kept imagining that if he suddenly received an inhaler, he’d know — it would be the biggest sign that we’re doing everything to bring him home,” his father said.
Tal Shoham was taken with his family
Tal Shoham was abducted into Gaza along with his wife, Adi, their two young children, Neve and Yahal, his mother-in-law, and two other relatives. All were released in the previous hostage deal in 2023, but Shoham remained in captivity.
On his birthday, his relative Shira Baron wrote: “For 116 days, our lives have been defined by a relentless countdown, each day a battle to keep shouting for the hostages' immediate return. Every day is a challenge for them — a real life-or-death situation. And they are our people, our family, the ones who are essential to our lives.”
Avera Mengistu: A decade in captivity
On Sept. 7, 2014 — two weeks after the end of the Israel-Gaza war—Avera Mengistu crossed the border near Zikim Beach into Gaza and was taken captive. Last August, for his 38th birthday, supporters released yellow balloons in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square in his honor.
His father, Aylin, told reporters, “For nearly 10 years, I have prayed for my son to come home.”
Gil Elias, a family member, described Mengistu as a shy and reserved man with a kind heart. “People don’t know that Avera is someone who always smiled, someone his friends loved. He would do anything for them. What many don’t realize is how deeply he was affected by his brother’s death — it left him in a state of confusion. That’s when we first saw signs of his mental struggles.”
Hisham al-Sayed: Years without a sign of life
Hisham al-Sayed, who has struggled with mental health issues, has been held by Hamas since 2015 after crossing the border into Gaza. His family and Israeli officials confirmed that he had crossed the border multiple times before.
In 2022 — seven years into his captivity — Hamas released a video of him for the first time. His mother, Manal, recalled, “I was relieved to see him, but I could tell he wasn’t well.”
His father, Shaaban, added: “In Islam, people with mental illnesses are not held accountable under religious law. Even God does not judge them.”
Since then, the family has been demanding his unconditional release. “He has nothing to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” they said. “He should be freed immediately.”