How freed Israeli hostages have been  transformed by a two-year nightmare: Their dramatically different appearances as they are reunited with families after 738 days in captivity

In a day of overwhelming relief, 20 Israeli hostages held for over two years by Hamas were freed under a landmark ceasefire deal. 

Families gathered in anticipation as tears flowed and hugs were exchanged. 

But the photographs that accompanied each release told a parallel story of what extreme deprivation, uncertainty, and suffering can do to a human body and spirit. 

Many of the hostages released today now look radically different from the photographs taken before they were seized on October 7, 2023. 

Behind the smiles, some appear to have dramatically lost weight, while others appear frail. 

Their new appearance tells the story of every day they spent underground in fear of Hamas doing to them what they did to the 1,195 people slaughtered two years ago, in what has now been known as Israel‘s darkest day. 

Alon Ohel  

Footage released by Hamas showed Ohel, 24, being taken by the militant group from the Nova festival. 

In August, he was seen being paraded around Gaza City with Guy HGilboa-Dalal, another hostage. 

Since his capture, Ohel has faced health issues. Last month, his family approved the release of a screenshot from a video that showed he had now gone blind in one eye.  

Before he was captured, pictures showed him with a full beard and curly hair. 

Pictures shared by the IDF of his reunion with his family today show the drastic weight he has lost. His beard and hair have also been shaved, revealing his gaunt features. 

Sergev Kalfon  

The 27-year-old was taken while running away with a fiend at the music festival. Later, a video of his abduction was released by the militant group.  

In February 2025, released hostage, Ohad Ben Ami told Kalfon’s father they had been held with four others in a tunnel under ‘terrible conditions.’ 

Before his capture, pictures showed him  on holiday with friends and 

However, photos released today show him as a shell of his former self, with the toll of years in captivity written across his expression. 

 Ariel Cunio  

Ariel was abducted on 7 October at Kibbutz Nir Oz. His brother, Eitan, who escaped the attack, says the last message from Ariel read: ‘We are in a horror movie.’ 

His partner, Arbel Yehud, was freed earlier, in January 2025, in a deal that saw Hamas hand over 25 living and eight dead captives. 

In new photos, his eyes look sunken as he walked with IDF representatives following his release. He tied his hair, which has now grown longer, into a bun and appears to have lost weight. 

Evyatar David   

On the morning of October 7, he texted: ‘They are bombarding the party.’

His family say they later got a text containing footage of him handcuffed in a dark room. 

In August 2025, Hamas published a video of him emaciated in a tunnel. His brother Ilay described him as ‘a human skeleton … starved so he may die at any moment.’ 

David has undergone one of the most extreme transformations out of all the hostages. Photographs of him before the Hamas attacks show how vibrant the 24-year-old looked. 

In the picture released today, he still appears severely underweight and malnourished.  

Eitan Horn   

A security guard at the Nova festival, Horn is said to have saved many before being taken.

His family reported signs of life in February 2025; a released hostage told them that Eitan acted as a ‘spokesman to the captors’ and kept spirits up.

New pictures show that Horn has undergone a severe body transformation with a shocking weight loss. 

Martan Zangauke  

Abducted from Nir Oz with his partner Ilana Gritzewsky, who was later released during a truce in November 2023. 

In December 2024, Hamas released footage of Matan, 25,  describing skin ailments, shortages of food, water, and medicine. 

The IDF released a picture of him in an embrace with his mother after their reunion today.  

Yosef Chaim Ohana

The 25-year-old’s father broke down in tears when they reunited earlier today. 

According to Ohana’s friend, he had been at the music festival and helped people get to safety when Hamas attacked. 

In May this year, the group released a video showing him and another hostage. 

Avinatan Or   

He was kidnapped at the festival along with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, but they ended up being separated. 

Noa and others were rescued in June 2024. In March 2025, Avinatan’s family said they had seen signs he was alive. 

His mother, who is Israeli-British, gave an emotional plea for his release, describing how she longed to hear his heartbeat once again.  

Nimrod Cohen  

The 21-year-old was serving as an IDF soldier when his tank was hit at Nahal Oz.

In February 2025, his family said a freed hostage reported he stayed alive but was in poor mental and physical shape.

After his release, he was seen under an Israeli flag, looking frail. 

Rom Braslavski  

Rom  Bravslaski, 21, was draped in the Israeli flag as he greeted members of the IDF upon his release. 

On festival security duty, Rom was abducted when trying to save an injured person. 

In August 2025, a video showed him crying, saying he had run out of food and water, unable to stand. 

Bar Kupershtein 

Kupershtein is reported to have stayed behind at the festival to help the wounded. 

He told his grandmother he would head home when he could, but was seized. 

A video in April 2025 showed him with Maxim Herkin. His family has said he appeared injured, his body diminished by captivity.

Maxim Herkin 

Maxim Herkin, 37, is an Israeli-Russian dual national. His friends were among those who were slaughtered in the attack. 

Following his video with Kupershtein, he appeared alone in another video, bandaged, allegedly from an Israeli air strike.

In his pictures today, he appeared in high spirits as he greeted medics and soldiers. 

Elkana Bohbot 

Bohbot, 36, was working at the festival when abducted.

His wife Rikva recalled their last conversation: ‘In our last conversation … I told him, ‘It’s not just missiles, come home,’ and he promised he would return.’ 

Media earlier cited released hostages saying Elkana developed a severe skin disease under harsh conditions.

Guy Gilboa-Dalal

 The 24-year-old attended the music festival with his brother, Gal. 

While Gal managed to escape, Guy was kidnapped and taken into captivity. 

Recently, Hamas released a video showing Guy and Alon Ohel being driven around Gaza City in August 2025. 

 David Cunio

David Cunio, 35, older brother of Ariel, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas terrorists.

He worked as an electrical technician and held the safe room door in his family home closed for five hours while attackers on October 7 tried to force it open.

His wife, Sharon Cunio, and their then-three-year-old twin daughters Ema and Yuly were also kidnapped, before being released alongside 102 other hostages during a week-long ceasefire in November 2023. 

After his release, he was pictured laughing alongside a representative of the Israeli army at the Re’im military base in southern Israel. 

Gali and Ziv Berman

Gali and Ziv Berman, 28-year-old twin brothers, were captured from their home on Kibbutz Kfar Aza with their neighbour, British-Israeli Emily Damari.

Some 62 residents, including five soldiers and a member of the Shin Bet, and 18 security personnel were killed in Kfar Aza during the October 7 attacks, while a further 19 civilians were taken hostage. 

 Ziv was held captive with Emily for 40 days before the pair were separated, and she was released in January 2025 during the most recent ceasefire.

The twins are understood to have been separated in captivity but a photo after their release shows them warmly embracing. 

Matan Angrest

Matan Angrest is a 22-year-old Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldier who was abducted on October 7, 2023 from his tank near the Gaza perimeter fence.

Footage published from the massacre shows Hamas militants kicking him, according to the Jerusalem Post.

He was captured alongside the bodies of Itai Chen, Daniel Peretz, and Tomer Leibovitz – fellow soldiers in his tank unit. 

Earlier this year, his family said they had been told by former hostages that he was suffering from untreated burns, infections, and chronic asthma.

‘This is the closing of a circle for which the brigade has fought over the past two years,’ Matan’s brigade commander said. ‘The 7th [Brigade] family, the 77th Battalion, and the Armored Corps are waiting for you at home.’

Eitan Mor

Mor was kidnapped alongside his brother Yair from Nir Oz. 

Yair was released in February 2025. At the time, Hamas showed a video of the brothers embracing. 

Yair later recalled: ‘Every day we imagined what we’d do if we were freed.

Omri Miran

Omri Miran, 48, was photographed reuniting with his wife Lishay Miran-Lavi, where he spoke to his daughters Roni, 4, and Alma, 2, on a tablet while at the Re’im base.

He was abducted from his home in Nahal Oz on October 7, 2023, when Alma was only six months old. Since then, she has learned how to say ‘Abba’ (‘Daddy’ in Hebrew).

He was the oldest living hostage to return to Israel today.

Over 180 Hamas militants swarmed into the Gaza border community in three waves during the attack two years ago, murdering and abducting residents. 

Some 13 residents and four security personnel were killed in Nahal Oz during the massacre, as well as 53 IDF soldiers.

‘After more than 700 long, painful, and agonising days, Omri will finally receive from Roni and Alma a healing embrace,’ his family said in a statement.

‘We are at the beginning of a complex and challenging, yet moving, journey of recovery. May Omri’s return mark the beginning of this recovery and the unity of our people.’