A heart-wrenching reunion unfolded at a medical center near Tel Aviv.

Or Levy, a man who had endured nearly 500 days in captivity, finally embraced his three-year-old son, Almog.

The little boy, struggling to wrap his arms around his father’s frail frame, held on tightly, unwilling to let go.

The moment was filled with love and relief, but it was also shadowed by an unimaginable loss.

A Father’s Nightmare

Or, 34, had been taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023, the day that turned his world upside down.

He and his wife, Eynav, had been at the Nova Festival when rockets began to rain down.

In the chaos, they ran for cover, first to their car and then to a roadside bomb shelter.

But in the madness, they were separated. Or was captured, and Eynav, just 32 years old, was tragically killed.

For 16 long months, Or lived in uncertainty, unaware of what had happened to his wife and son.

When he was finally released, the joy of reuniting with Almog was met with the devastating news of Eynav’s death.

A Grueling Ordeal

During his captivity, Or suffered extreme conditions. Reports indicate that he lost nearly 20 kilograms (44 pounds).

Before his release, he was paraded through the streets of Gaza, forced to endure public humiliation alongside fellow hostages Eli Sharabi and Ohad Ami.

But despite the torment he had faced, he had to stay strong for his son.

When they finally spoke on a video call before their reunion, Almog’s first words to his father were heartbreaking: “Dad, it took you a long time to come back.”

The young boy had spent nearly half his life without his father, and now, their long separation had finally come to an end.

Life After Captivity

Since the attack, Almog had been raised by extended family, constantly asking about his father.

His grandmother, Pnina Elkayem, expressed hope that their lives would now begin to stabilize.

“Today I’m going back to being a grandmother. It was a difficult time, but now we see the light at the end of the tunnel. A different life lies ahead of us,” she said.

Yet, the road to recovery will not be easy.

Medical professionals have confirmed that Or and the other hostages suffered extreme malnutrition and abuse.

The Horrors of Captivity

Testimonies from the released captives paint a horrifying picture of their time in Hamas’ tunnels.

They were deprived of food and water for days, given only rotten pita bread to share among themselves.

They were physically abused, hung by their feet, strangled with ropes, gagged, and burned.

The conditions were so brutal that some had to relearn how to walk before being freed.

Journalists detailing their stories on Israeli news channel Kan 11 warned that the reality was difficult to comprehend but necessary to share.

The hostages were held in such tiny spaces that they could neither move nor stand, struggling to breathe in the suffocating underground rooms.

One hostage reportedly collapsed from starvation, and those around him feared he had died.

They were subjected to brutal interrogations, beaten and tortured, all while being held in near-total isolation.

What Comes Next?

Now back home, Or faces a new challenge—rebuilding his life and helping his young son heal from the trauma of losing his mother.

The physical and emotional scars will take time to mend, but for now, he has the comfort of holding Almog in his arms again.

The fight for survival is over, but the journey toward healing has just begun.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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