A Year After Captivity: Families of Rescued Hostages Navigate Complex Recovery

One year after the return of the last surviving hostages from captivity in Gaza, families of former hostages reflect on the complex and arduous journey of rehabilitation, trauma recovery, and rebuilding their lives.

Idit Ohel, mother of Alon Ohel who was abducted from the Nova music festival, describes the profound challenges of readjustment. Comparing the homecoming to a rebirth, she notes that families often feel overlooked as public focus shifts entirely to the returned hostages.

"The return of Alon is like a rebirth, and just like with a newborn baby, you suddenly have to take care of him from the beginning," Idit Ohel explains. "And in the middle of this situation, we, the parents, are forgotten. I would love for the state to also see us, the parents who experienced two very difficult years, and provide us with the support we need."

Dismantling the Armor

For Ditza Or, mother of Avinatan Or who was also abducted from the Nova festival and held in isolation, the post-release period has been an intricate process of emotional reckoning. During her son's captivity, she maintained strict psychological defenses to stay focused and effective.

"During the period of Avinatan's captivity, I consciously closed a protective screen and fortified walls around my heart, because I understood that if I fell apart, I wouldn't be able to continue fighting for him," Ditza Or shares. Today, she is gradually lowering those defenses, allowing herself to process the immense trauma and pain.

A Long Road to Recovery

Vicky Cohen, mother of Nimrod Cohen who spent 738 days in captivity after being abducted from his tank on October 7, emphasizes the toll that chronic stress takes on the body and mind.

"For two years, everything we experienced as a family — the constant tension, the emotional turmoil, the tense anticipation, and the deep longing — completely exhausted the body and soul," Vicky Cohen says. As her son works to establish a meaningful routine, she has also transitioned away from her previous career to dedicate her time to writing, lecturing, and sharing their family's journey.