After 738 days in Hell
Einav Tsengauker speaks to her son, freed hostage Matan | WATCH
We're not crying, you're crying.
In a moment of profound relief amid the ongoing hostage releases, 25-year-old Matan Zangauker has been freed by Hamas after over two years in captivity. Zangauker, abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023 attacks along with his girlfriend Ilana Gritzewsky, who was released in November 2023, was among the first group of hostages handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross as part of the ceasefire deal.
Shortly after his release, Zangauker had his first conversation with his mother, Einav Zangauker, a vocal advocate for the hostages' return and a fierce critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Einav, who has tirelessly campaigned for her son's freedom, described the call as "the most beautiful moment of my life," though details of their exchange remain private amid the family's emotional reunion.
Zangauker is one of 20 living hostages slated for release on this day, with the process unfolding in phases from northern Gaza to Israeli military bases for medical evaluations.
Crowds gathered in Tel Aviv to celebrate the returns, marking a hopeful step in the historic agreement.