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A day after the release of six hostages from Gaza, their families shared moments of joy after their ordeal on Sunday. Omer Wenkert posed for a photo with his sister, which was posted on social media.
His mother, Niva, later wrote: "A small story that shows how amazing Omer is — right after our first hug in the Re'im base when the crying and excitement calmed down, Omer said, 'Wait, Mom, I brought you a gift from the duty-free shop.' And he pulled out the halva (sweet sesame treat)" he received on the way from Gaza to the base.
Omer Shem Tov from Herzliya, freed after 505 days in captivity alongside Wenkert and Eliya Cohen, posted a family photo on Instagram, captioning it with Eminem’s “Without Me” lyrics: "Guess who's back."
He told relatives about the difficulty of losing his friend Itay Regev, who was released after 54 days together in captivity, his attempts to observe Shabbat in Gaza and his prolonged time alone in Hamas tunnels.
Shem Tov, Wenkert and Cohen are hospitalized at Rabin Medical Center, along with Tal Shoham, who was freed separately. Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, held in Gaza for nearly a decade, were also released in the final phase of the first stage of hostage releases.
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Eliya Cohen’s grandfather, Aharon Rabi, recalled their reunion and his grandson’s ordeal in a radio interview. "They were chained, had nothing to eat and were kept in darkness — no sunlight, no light at all. Sometimes they were treated a bit better, sometimes worse. It was always changing."
When asked whether anyone treated his grandson’s gunshot wound, Rabi said: "There was a doctor, but no one really treated him. Medicine was sent to Hamas but they didn’t pass it on to the hostages.
“Now he’s getting proper care in the hospital." He added, "Eliya lost more than 20 kilograms (44 lbs), but he’s smiling and laughing. He’s limping from the injury but he’ll recover quickly."
Rabi said he believes his grandson grew spiritually during captivity. "We’re a religious family but I’m sure he strengthened his faith even more. This coming Shabbat will be very special. We’re planning a big meal in Jerusalem with blessings."