A year ago, on the eve of Simchat Torah, 101 Israelis were spending time with their families and friends. The following morning, their lives were upended—they became the 101 hostages whose return the entire nation still longs for. Families of eight of the hostages shared with Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth the last moments they remember with their loved ones before the nightmare began.
Idan Alexander
One of the hostages is Idan Alexander, 20. His mother, Yael, flew in from the United States to visit him during Sukkot. “When the kids were younger, we used to build a sukkah in the U.S.,” she recalled. “Now that they’re older, we usually visit friends during the holiday.”
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Gaza hostage Idan Alexander in his family sukkah last year
(Photo: Courtesy of the family)
At 18, Idan made the decision to move to Israel and enlist in the Golani Brigade. He had been home for Rosh Hashanah and part of Sukkot last year, but spent Yom Kippur on base, where he chose to fast despite being on guard duty.
"I arrived in Israel on the Saturday before the abduction, and Idan came to pick me up,” Yael recounted. “On Sunday and Monday, we were at my parents’ sukkah in Tel Aviv. My mother invited the extended family, and she always hosts a big Bukharan meal in the sukkah on the roof. But Idan insisted on taking me to get the best burger in town, even though I told him we had a huge meal coming up in a few hours. He devoured that burger.
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Gaza hostage Idan Alexander in his family sukkah last year
(Photo: Courtesy of the family)
“On Tuesday morning, he left for the base. I was supposed to fly back to the U.S. on October 7, and he knew that. We talked about it on October 6. Of course, everything was canceled.”
Idan was abducted from his base and taken to Gaza. He had managed to tell his mother that he’d been hit by shrapnel in his helmet but was safe and in a secure location. During his time in captivity, his family received several signs of life from him.
Itay Chen
The last full family gathering for the Chen family took place during Rosh Hashanah. Nineteen-year-old Itay Chen, a tank crew member, didn’t come home for Sukkot. Instead, he returned to his battalion's mission along the Gaza border, tasked with securing the area during the holiday.
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Itay Chen (right) and his family before his abduction to Gaza
(Photo: Courtesy of the family)
On the morning of October 7, Itay and his fellow tank crew fought to fend off waves of terrorists heading toward Israeli communities near Gaza. Itay was killed in the battle, and his body was taken by the terrorists. Since then, his family has had no peace, as time seems to have stood still.
"Our family has no holidays," said his father, Ruby. "Every holiday, we have an empty chair, and it’s unbearable. The last time we were a complete family was in that Rosh Hashanah photo, and since then, we haven’t been able to come together physically because we don’t have a grave for Itay. He’s still in Gaza, and we can’t find closure."
Liri Albag
Liri Albag, 19, had just begun her service as a proud lookout soldier at the Nahal Oz base when she was home for the start of Sukkot. Though disappointed to be stationed on base for the second holiday, she resolved to make the most of it.
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Liri Albag (left) and her family before her abduction to Gaza
(Photo: Courtesy of the family)
On the morning of October 7, as rocket sirens blared, Liri managed to send a photo to her boyfriend from the shelter and briefly speak with her family. Shortly after, she and six other female soldiers were abducted from the Nahal Oz post.
One, Ori Magidish, has since been rescued, and another, Noa Marciano, was killed in captivity, with her body later recovered. Liri remains in captivity, along with four others: Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger and Naama Levy.
Tal Chaimi
In a Sukkot holiday photo, Tal Chaimi, 41, stands alongside his brother-in-law, Rani Oren Goldin, and their children in a sukkah at the home of Tal’s sister, Or, in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak. "We always had a family sukkah," said Or. "Tal stored the wood and netting for it, and every holiday we’d pull it out, pick a spot and set it up. We’d have meals and family gatherings, sometimes even sleep in it."
Before they could take down the sukkah, both Tal and Oren, members of the kibbutz’s emergency response team, were killed or abducted while defending its borders on October 7. Goldin’s body was recovered and buried in Israel in July, but Tal remains in Gaza. Seven months after the attack, Tal’s wife, Ella, gave birth to their fourth child, Lotan.
Chaim Peri
On the eve of Simchat Torah, the extended Peri family gathered at the home of their patriarch and matriarch, Chaim, 80, and Osnat, in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
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Chaim Peri (center) and his family before his abduction to Gaza
(Photo: Courtesy of the family)
The family reunion came as Israel marked 50 years since the Yom Kippur War, where Chaim had fought in the Sinai. Chaim proudly shared his wartime memories with the entire family, presenting a well-prepared slideshow recounting his experiences.
“We were all sitting in the living room, and I couldn’t believe all the grandkids were paying attention with us,” said Chaim’s daughter, Ofri Peri. She recalled her five-and-a-half-year-old daughter asking, “What would have happened to our people if the army hadn’t won?” Her sister Reut responded, “That’s impossible—our army is the strongest in the world, and it always wins.”
Ofri reflected, “The next morning, I thought about how my daughter went to bed with those words. In hindsight, she asked very profound questions.”
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Chaim Peri's presentation on the legacy of the Yom Kippur War
(Photo: Courtesy of the family)
The following day, on October 7, Chaim was abducted from his home and taken to Gaza. He survived months in captivity before the IDF announced his death in June. In August, his body was recovered and returned to Israel for burial.
“There are still 101 hostages in Gaza with whom we have had no communication for over a year,” Ofri said, reflecting on the loss of her father and the ongoing uncertainty for many families.
Guy Gilboa-Dalal
Last Sukkot, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 23, wasn’t able to help his father, Ilan, build their family’s sukkah as he did every year. Throughout the holiday, the family hosted friends and relatives in the sukkah each evening.
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Guy Gilboa-Dalal in the family sukkah before his abduction to Gaza
(Photo: Courtesy of the family)
Before leaving for the Nova music festival on October 6, Guy promised his father that he would help dismantle the sukkah upon his return.
Tragically, Guy was abducted from the Nova festival alongside his friend Evyatar David. His older brother, Gal, managed to escape the attack, but two of his close friends, Ron Tzarfati and Idan Harmati, were killed.
Omer Shem Tov
On Friday, October 6, the family of Omer Shem Tov, 21, celebrated the birthday of his mother, Shelly. The family spent the holiday evening with friends in Even Yehuda. “We had such a great day," said Omer’s father, Malki.
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Omer Shem Tov (top right) in the family sukkah before his abduction to Gaza
(Photo: Courtesy of the family)
"We were in Jerusalem in the morning and stopped for burgers in Tel Aviv on the way back after Omer convinced us. It was a holiday evening full of laughter. We got home around midnight, and then Omer went out.”
Later that night, Omer attended the Nova music festival, where he met up with Itay and Maya Regev. The three were abducted together. Itay and Maya were returned in a deal nearly a year ago, but Omer remains in captivity.
“Holidays are a breaking point for us, as are Friday night dinners,” said Malki. “There’s no motivation to celebrate anything. Omer asked us not to worry, but I hope he knows we’re moving heaven and earth for him. He’s not alone, and we’ll do everything to bring him back.”
Tamir Adar
For the past decade, Tamir Adar, 38, spent Rosh Hashanah with his wife’s family at the Sea of Galilee, and the second night of the holiday was always reserved for his mother, Yael. “It was also my birthday, and everyone came—the kids, the grandkids, my father. No one was missing. It was the last time we were all togetherr like that,” Yael recalled.
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Tamir Adar shows his kids how to operate the barbeque before his abduction to Gaza
(Photo: Courtesy of the family)
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Little Assaf proudly takes over the barbecue, just like his father taught him
(Photo: Courtesy of the family)
“We had a barbecue, which Tamir loved to do. He even taught his son how to handle it all,” she added. “A year has passed, and now 8-year-old Assaf proudly takes over the barbecue, just like his father taught him. I last saw Tamir on October 6. We chatted for a few minutes and planned to meet the next day, but we never did. Since then, another Rosh Hashanah has come and gone, and I turned 60, but we didn’t celebrate anything. Nothing feels festive, my throat tightens. We sit at the table mainly for the kids—they are our strength.”
Tamir was wounded and abducted from Nir Oz and died from his injuries in Gaza on October 7. His grandmother, Yaffa Adar, was also abducted that day but was released in a hostage exchange in November.
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