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Dream fulfilled

Sahar Calderon on her father’s release: "I promised and I kept it"

Ofer Calderon freed after 484 days in Hamas captivity; his daughter expresses gratitude and triumph.

Released hostage Ofer Calderon reunites with his children Rotem, Gaya, Erez and Sahar on February 1, 2025
Photo: Ma'ayon Taof / GPO

Sahar Calderon, the daughter of Ofer Calderon, who was released on Saturday after 484 days in Hamas captivity, published a moving post on Instagram last night (Saturday) in which she referred for the first time to her father's return. "I promised him that I would fight for him and that he would come back – and I kept my promise," Sahar wrote, "I won."

Calderon added: "I thank the people of Israel who have been by our side all along. I thank everyone thanks to whom my father came back alive and breathing. I'm so happy, my heart is whole."

Sahar was kidnapped along with her brother Erez and her father Ofer in a Hamas surprise attack on October 7. She and her brother were released from captivity after 52 days, but Ofer remained in captivity for another 432 days, until he finally returned to his family yesterday.

Ofer's cousin, Eyal, told Ynet in the past that "the last sentence Sahar heard from him before they parted ways in the Hamas tunnels was, 'Fight for me, I don't want to die in the tunnels.'"

Upon his release, Ofer asked the soldiers at the meeting point with the IDF for beer, but due to his weakness he was told that he would only be able to drink gradually.


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