Rabbi Avi Ohana, father of Yosef Chaim Ohana who was freed from captivity in the Gaza Strip on Monday, said that Hamas’ guards prevented his son and other captives from sitting or lying down to sleep for several days.
The father shared details his son told him about his time in captivity held by Hamas. “Yosef said that as soon as the deal was finalized, they grouped him with a few others, around seven people, who were taken down into a deep tunnel and placed in a pit,” he told Kan Moreshet on Wednesday.
“They couldn’t even sit for several days – they stood up, leaning against the wall. They didn’t sleep. There was a lack of oxygen. There will be no forgiveness for these actions,” Ohana said.
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Ohana said that the first time his son and fellow freed hostage Elkana Bohbot heard their families on the radio, they saw it as a sign of life from them.
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Released hostage Yosef Chaim Ohana, center, reunites with his family, on Monday. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
Released hostage Yosef Chaim Ohana, center, reunites with his family, on Monday. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
“They were playing around with some cables they found and managed to catch the army radio station. One morning, he heard me speaking during a broadcast. He said that was a sign of life for him – he had no idea what had happened to us, and it was an enormous relief for him to hear that his father was okay,” he shared.
Yosef Chaim’s father said that his condition was improving. “Every few hours, he gets better; the color is returning to his face. He’s strong mentally. He didn’t break. His family kept him going, the hope of coming back to us.”
“I’m over the moon. I’m on cloud nine,” the father shared. For two years, I couldn’t sleep from sorrow. Now, I can’t sleep from excitement,” he said. “As the days go by, we’re realizing just how great this miracle is.”
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Ruth Strum, mother of Iair and Eitan Horn who were both released from Gaza captivity, told Kan Reshet Bet public radio about the emotional family reunion, following Eitan’s release from captivity on Monday.
“My boys are together again, and that’s all I ever wanted,” she said with emotion. “We can finally breathe.”
She described the first moment she saw Eitan during a video phone call arranged by a Hamas militant who was overseeing her son’s release from captivity. “I saw him behind David Cunio. I spoke to him, but he didn’t respond – he just smiled a little, raised his hands and started dancing. I saw my little Eitush again – and felt an overwhelming sense of joy.”
The family reunited at the Re’im base, from where the hostages who were released from the Gaza Strip entered Israeli territory. “When he arrived at Re’im and we hugged, it was a moment I’ll never forget, after all the suffering we’ve endured over these past two years.”
She noted that Eitan’s return was also marked by pain over being separated from his brother Iair, who had been released in February 2025.
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Freed hostage Eitan Horn (R) upon his arrival to an Israeli hospital after his release from Gaza captivity, on Monday. Credit: Elad Malka/GPO
Freed hostage Eitan Horn (R) upon his arrival to an Israeli hospital after his release from Gaza captivity, on Monday. Credit: Elad Malka/GPO
“When Iair came back and Eitan didn’t, it was incredibly difficult for us. I can only imagine how hard it was for him, being there alone. He’s been talking about many things, but he still hasn’t spoken about that separation. Not yet,” his mother added.
Strum said that her son has begun his medical recovery, noting that he is “very thin, but okay” physically. “It seems he’ll need help emotionally – but the main thing is that he’s here.”
Speaking about the conditions of captivity, she said: “I knew the conditions were horrific – being in tunnels, without water, without air, without food. That alone is terrible. He was with Iair most of the time, and after, also with other hostages.”
She says that despite it all, the family is trying to maintain a joyful atmosphere. “There’s laughter, music, dancing. Most importantly, we’re all here with him. Even his nephews are around, giving him all the support he needs.”
Thanking the Israeli public for supporting the protests and struggle to return the hostages who were held in the Gaza Strip, Strum said, “There are still deceased hostages there. We need everyone, everyone, to come home.”