Hostage Omer Shem Tov is home!

Video: Roee Avraham / GPO

Omer Shem Tov is back — Photo: Avi Ohayon

Omer Shem Tov is home — Photo: Avi Ohayon

Shem Tov was among six hostages freed on February 22, 2025, in a carefully orchestrated release at Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp. Footage showed him alongside fellow Nova festival survivors Eliya Cohen and Omer Wenkert, before Red Cross officials facilitated their transfer to Israeli custody.

His first words upon freedom, written on a whiteboard during his helicopter transport to the hospital, captured both relief and normalcy: "Now everything is OK! Thank you to the dear people of Israel, and to all the soldiers!" He added a simple request that spoke volumes about his 504-day ordeal: "I want a hamburger."

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Throughout his captivity, Shem Tov's mother Shelly emerged as a prominent voice in the "Bring Them Home" campaign, regularly speaking at rallies and advocating for her son's release. The family's wait ended today as his siblings Amit and Dana watched his helicopter landing at the hospital, chanting "Omer is home." Their mother's voice broke with emotion as she declared, "Now we are together again."

The release comes as part of a Qatar and Egypt-mediated ceasefire agreement that began on January 19, focusing on freeing civilian captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and humanitarian concessions in Gaza. Of the 251 people kidnapped during the October 7 Hamas attack, officials say 58 remain in Gaza - with 34 believed dead. Four more bodies are expected to be returned next week.

Shem Tov was among thousands celebrating at the Nova festival near Kibbutz Re'im when Hamas gunmen attacked at sunrise on October 7, 2023, turning the event into one of the deadliest sites of the assault with 260 attendees killed and dozens taken hostage.

While specific details of his captivity remain private, medical teams at Beilinson Hospital are providing comprehensive care, including psychological support, as he begins his journey of recovery. His release marks both a moment of joy for his family and a reminder of those still held in Gaza as negotiations continue for a potential second phase of exchanges.