Blinded by Hamas
Alon Ohel is Home - But He's Blind in One Eye
After 738 harrowing days in Hamas captivity, Israeli musician Alon Ohel reunites with his family, tragically blinded in one eye, highlighting the enduring physical and emotional scars of his ordeal.
Alon Ohel, the 24-year-old Israeli musician kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, has been reunited with his family after 738 days in captivity, but not without lasting scars: he is now blind in one eye due to untreated shrapnel wounds sustained during his abduction.
Ohel was among the first group of hostages released on Monday, handed over to IDF troops in Gaza before being transported for medical checks.
Initial photos released by the IDF show him stepping out of a vehicle and receiving sunglasses from an officer, a poignant indicator of his vision impairment.
His parents, Kobi and Idit Ohel, had previously shared that propaganda footage from Hamas showed him losing sight in his right eye, appearing emaciated and under duress.
Accounts from other freed hostages described Ohel being chained in underground tunnels, starved, and denied proper medical attention, with risks to his remaining vision.
The family had demanded urgent medical intervention, holding Hamas responsible for his deteriorating health.
Ohel, who holds dual Israeli-Serbian citizenship, was reportedly held by Gaza civilians trusted by Hamas, in basements or dungeons, further complicating his conditions.
His release has sparked joy across Israel, with social media filled with images of his return and calls for the recovery of remaining hostage remains.