The first room at the end of the hallway in the Angrest family's home in Kiryat Bialik belongs to Matan, who is being held captive in Gaza for nine months. "I haven’t changed the sheets or touched anything. The room remains just as it was the last time Matan left," said his mother Anat.
Inside, his PlayStation games, a certificate of excellence from his commander, and a Maccabi Haifa scarf are displayed. "Soccer is his greatest love. Now the room is empty, and we miss him so much," she said tearfully.
Matan served in a tank alongside Itay Chen and Daniel Peretz, who fell on October 7 and whose bodies were taken to Gaza, and with Tomer Leibovitz, who also fell in battle. According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, Matan was taken to Gaza severely injured and unconscious.
Until recently, his family had no news of his fate. During a rally in Tel Aviv, Anat Angrest revealed that she had received a sign of life from her son. "It’s raw footage Hamas didn't have time to edit," explained his father Hagai.
Yesterday, it was reported that the footage is three and a half minutes long. "Matan looks straight into the camera and says, 'Netanyahu, I trust you to get me out of here.' He voted for him. It was a very emotional moment for us, but also optimistic because we see Matan alert and speaking clearly despite his injury," Hagai added.
"As a mother, it's the worst to see my son helpless, injured, and begging for his life, and there's nothing I can do to help him," Anat said. "But it’s a sign of life after long months of not knowing his condition. It gave us hope that he survived. We trust that he knows his family and friends are waiting for him, that he must hold on. Initially, we didn’t speak about him in the media, fearing it might endanger him, but we now realize our silence risks him more."
"We appeal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be brave and bring all the hostages home," Hagai added. "Do not abandon them again. The video gave us hope and some breathing room, but every day there is hell and a comprehensive deal must be made to bring everyone home. We’re exhausted. The soldiers are kids who gave their lives in battle and saved many. He fought and was ready to sacrifice himself. We want him back."
October 7
"We managed to talk to him that night. His siblings chatted with him until 2 am. They had bought a PlayStation 5 and planned to play with him. He never got the chance to touch it. Who would have believed he would become a hostage?" said Anat.
"We woke up like everyone else to the sirens in the south. We knew something big was happening. At 7:15 am, Matan texted us, 'Take care of yourselves, everything is fine.' That was the last message we received from him. After that, we tried dozens of times to reach him, checking hospitals. It was a horrible feeling of helplessness. After a few very difficult days, the IDF came to us and said that Matan was in the tank crew that was hit and that he was taken captive while still alive. We understand that Matan and his tank crew saved dozens of people. They are heroes," she said.
The situation in captivity
"All we know is that Matan was taken alive from the tank. If he can hear us, he knows for sure that we are fighting for his return and the return of all the hostages. Every Saturday, we leave Kiryat Bialik to join the large protest in the Hostage Square. We tell him, 'Matan, don't give up. Remember that your family and friends are still fighting for you. Stay strong. We will do everything to bring you home, and we will celebrate holidays together again and analyze Maccabi Haifa’s games.' We are confident he will come back to us," his parents described.
They added, "We are in contact with the army and the authorities. There are officers assigned to support us. We meet periodically, but they don’t know many details. Matan is also an IDF soldier, so the situation is more complex with soldiers being held captive."
"We try to support each other constantly and face all the difficulties and longing together," Matan's parents said. "We think about Matan's smile, his songs, and how he would fill the house with joy when he came home from the army. We are trying to stay optimistic and think positively, especially after seeing the video and knowing he was alive after his severe injury."
Sister's graduation
His sister Adi shared about her graduation ceremony, where she spoke in his honor: "I’m graduating 12th grade, standing in the same place my brother did three years ago as I watched him from the audience, feeling excited."
"In recent weeks, my classmates have been rehearsing for the performance and learning dances. This graduation was supposed to be my special evening, but Matan stood on this stage just three years ago, excited about his upcoming enlistment," she said at the ceremony.
"I never imagined I would finish my exams without him by my side—guiding, helping, and supporting me. But I did it so he would come back and be proud of me. Since October 7, I find myself honoring my brother in different ways, whether by talking about military roles, fighting to get the same role, or listening to his favorite music. I try to fill myself with renewed strength and optimism that something is happening and we will see Matan return home. I imagine the moment when I am called to come and I rush in tears to embrace him," she concluded.