Omer Shem Tov was abducted 505 days ago during the Nova music festival, alongside his friends Maya and Itay Regev, who were released in the first exchange deal in November 2023. Yesterday, Omer bravely faced Hamas’s routine humiliation ritual and was finally reunited with his parents, Shelly and Malki, who had fought tirelessly to bring him back home. His parents learned that Omer had started keeping Shabbos while in captivity and grew stronger despite suffering from malnutrition, shedding many pounds, according to Kan News.
Malki Shem Tov, Omer’s father, shared with Kan News that Omer spent most of his captivity alone and was subjected to numerous degrading acts. “He told us that they compelled him to wave and to kiss the guard who was standing next to him. He said they told him what to do. You can see in the footage that someone came up to him and told him what to do,” Malki said.
Omer’s brother, Amit, spoke to Ynet, saying, “I feel amazing. I saw Omer — now everything’s fine. He looks great, walking, talking, and telling us stories. He’s incredible. So many people want to send him hamburgers! They’re already on the way. He’s feeling okay overall.”
Omer Shem Tov, along with Omer Wenkert, Tal Shoham, and Eliya Cohen, returned to Israel and recounted the horrific experiences they endured in Hamas’s tunnels. The four of them were held in extremely harsh conditions, suffering from deliberate starvation, physical and psychological abuse, and prolonged isolation.
According to a Channel 12 report, Eliya Cohen explained that he spent most of his time in captivity with fellow hostages Or Levy, Eli Sharabi, and Alon Ohel, but endured severe mistreatment. He was shot in the leg and received inadequate medical attention, while the handcuffs caused painful wounds and deep cuts. Cohen also revealed that he was bound hand and foot for long stretches of time, unable to stand. The hostages were kept in inhuman conditions, with Hamas intentionally starving them, eating in front of them, and leaving them without basic sustenance. Cohen spent his time in a dark tunnel, where the terrorists occasionally brought a flashlight for just a few hours.
{Matzav.com Israel}