Freed hostage Omer Shem Tov was released from Hamas captivity on Saturday after 505 days spent in the Gaza Strip.
Shem Tov was abducted from the Supernova Music Festival on October 7, 2023. Terrorists drove his car into the Strip.
Omer Shem Tov was 20 years old when Hamas abducted him from the festival, driving him and his friends into Gaza on October 7, 2023. His family was able to track his live location through his phone whilst he called them, updating them on everything that was happening around him.
Omer recently marked his second birthday in captivity on October 31, turning 22. In an Instagram post dedicated to his birthday, Omer’s mother, Shelly Shem Tov, called on others around the world to do an act of kindness and to bring light to the world.
Shelly pleaded with world leaders to pressure Hamas into signing a deal to free the remaining hostages, and now, he is expected to be released in the first phase of the hostage-ceasefire deal.
“Our Omeriko is home after 505 days of suffering and nightmare. Our child, our brother, who became a child of the entire state of Israel since October 7, has returned home despite medical difficulties,” his family said in a statement. “Thank you to the Creator, to the people of Israel for their prayers, strength, and love. Thank you to the soldiers who sacrificed for this moment, to everyone involved in the negotiations and diplomatic efforts. Thank you to Omer’s family and friends, and ours, who never gave up and never lost hope. We will continue to fight together with all the families and the Hostages Families Forum – our lifeline from the first moment – until every hostage returns home.”
Omer was kidnapped alongside Maya and Itay Regev, who were released during the ceasefire back in November 2023. Now, over a year later, the Regev siblings stated that “After 505 days, our story is over. The moment we have been waiting for so long has arrived and Omer, our best friend, is finally returning home. Our third rib, our heart is finally beating properly again.”
Keeping Shabbat in captivity
Itay Regev spoke of how they tried to honor Shabbat while in captivity by reciting the Kiddush with a small bottle of grape juice and a piece of bread. His mother said, “I’m so proud of my son. They took his freedom, but they couldn’t take his faith, his soul.”
Omer’s mother has been extremely active in demanding a deal from the government that would release the hostages since the moment Omer was taken captive.
Last April, Shelly Shem Tov organized a protest in Herzliya that saw hundreds gathered in honor of Omer, wearing yellow clothes and waving Israeli flags.
Jesus Christ is King
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