WATCH: Freed hostage Omer Wenkert is released from hospital

Today, Omer, a 23-year-old Israeli, has just been released from the hospital following his liberation from 505 days of captivity in Gaza at the hands of Hamas. His journey—from a vibrant young man with dreams of becoming a restaurant critic to a hostage fighting to survive, and now a symbol of hope—captures both the personal toll of the October 7, 2023, attack and the strength of the human spirit.

Before Captivity: A Life Full of Promise

Omer Wenkert was born the eldest of three siblings to Niva and Shai Wenkert in Gedera, a town in central Israel. With an 18-year-old brother, Ran, and a 13-year-old sister, Maya, Omer grew up in a close-knit family. Known for his joyous and social nature, he built a wide circle of friends through his involvement in the Young Maccabi youth movement, where he later volunteered as an instructor in Gedera. His passion, however, lay in the culinary world. Omer worked as a restaurant manager at Nina Bianca, a well-regarded establishment, and harbored ambitions of becoming a restaurant critic. In November 2023, he was set to begin a restaurant management course at Shenkar College—a dream interrupted by the events of October 7.

Omer’s life was also shaped by a significant health challenge: at 14, he was diagnosed with colitis, an autoimmune condition causing inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract. Managing it required regular medication and a stable environment, a reality that would later amplify the stakes of his captivity.

His family history added another layer to his story. His grandmother, Tzili Wenkert, is a Holocaust survivor, rescued by the Red Army during World War II as she faced transfer to Auschwitz. This legacy of survival would echo hauntingly in Omer’s own ordeal.

October 7, 2023: The Day Everything Changed

On October 7, 2023, Omer, then 22, attended the Nova Music Festival near Re’im with his girlfriend Kim Damti. Arriving around 5:30 a.m., they were there to dance and celebrate, part of a crowd of thousands enjoying the event. But shortly after sunrise, Hamas launched a brutal assault. Rockets began raining down, followed by gunmen storming the festival, killing over 360 people and taking hostages.

As chaos erupted, Omer texted his parents from a bomb shelter. At 6:30 a.m., he wrote, “God, missiles above my head,” followed by, “Damn, there are shots here, Mom.” He reported hearing explosions and, when asked if he was okay, replied, “No.” His final message at 7:50 a.m. was a raw plea: “I’m scared to death.” Communication then ceased.

Omer and Kim had taken refuge in a shelter hit by grenades. Kim was among those killed, while Omer survived the initial attack. Soon after, Hamas released a video on Telegram showing him—bound, beaten, and in his underwear—being forced onto a pickup truck by the elite Nukba unit, surrounded by terrorists and near the bodies of two others. His family learned of his abduction not through official channels but from this chilling footage, a moment that shattered their world. His mother later recalled the grenades hitting the shelter, and his grandmother likened it to a hammer reopening old wounds from her own past.

505 Days in Captivity: A Fight for Survival

Omer was taken into Gaza, where he endured 505 days of captivity—over 16 months of isolation, starvation, and neglect. For 450 of those days, he was held alone in a tunnel, a dark, confined space with no natural light. Fellow hostages later reported that he slept on a nylon sheet in a locked room, using a barrel as a toilet, under constant fluorescent light or pitch-black outages. His diet was meager—sometimes just three dates and half a pita daily—leading to a staggering loss of over 30 kilograms (66 pounds).

His colitis made this ordeal even more perilous. Without access to his medication, Omer faced life-threatening complications like internal bleeding and infection. His family, alongside the World Health Organization, pleaded for his release on humanitarian grounds, fearing his condition could prove fatal. Yet Hamas denied him treatment, a fact confirmed by his mother post-release. Despite the physical toll, Omer’s spirit remained unbroken. Liam Or, a hostage freed in November 2023, described how Omer encouraged others, stayed optimistic, and even sang to lift their morale.

Reports suggest Omer witnessed the release of others, a bittersweet moment that left him determined to fight on. Two fellow captives, Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa Dalal, were reportedly forced to watch his eventual release ceremony, a psychological tactic by Hamas that fueled his resolve to advocate for those still held.

Release: A Victorious Return

Omer’s freedom came on February 22, 2025, as part of a ceasefire-hostage deal that liberated six living hostages, including Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu, and Hisham al-Sayed. In Nuseirat, Gaza, he appeared on a stage set up by Hamas, thin and pale but standing upright, smiling, and waving before being handed to the Red Cross. Back in Israel, crowds in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square erupted in cheers: “Omer is home!”

Flown by IDF helicopter to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, Omer was greeted by well-wishers as he waved and blew kisses. His flight passed over Gedera, where friends held a sign welcoming him. Reunited with his parents, he wrote “Now it’s good!” on a whiteboard, a simple yet profound declaration. His father, Shai, recited the Shehecheyanu blessing—a prayer of gratitude—while declaring, “My son came out as a victor from captivity. He defeated it.” A tearful embrace with his siblings followed, filled with laughter over his brother’s weight gain during Omer’s absence.

At a press conference, Niva revealed the extent of his ordeal—30 kilograms lost, no medical care—but celebrated his resilience. Shai thanked the nation, US President Donald Trump, and envoy Steve Witkoff for their roles in the deal. Omer’s first words to his mother were, “I defeated captivity,” a testament to his unbreakable will.

Recovery and a New Mission

Hospitalized at Rabin Medical Center, Omer underwent extensive medical checks to address his physical decline. Despite his gaunt frame and limping gait—likely from malnutrition and untreated illness—he smiled and laughed, showing signs of recovery. On February 28, he posted on Instagram, “I’m free! There’s no price for freedom, and I almost forgot how sweet and pleasant it is,” alongside a video of him dancing with his father on grass—a defiant reclaiming of joy.

Today (Tuesday), Omer returned home to Gedera, where his grandmothers removed his hostage poster from Israel’s main airport walkway, a poignant symbol of his journey’s end. But his story didn’t stop there. Wearing a hostages’ necklace, he vowed to fight “with every drop of energy” for those still in Gaza, naming Evyatar and Guy specifically. “This is my time to join the struggle,” he told his mother, transforming his trauma into a mission.

A Legacy of Strength

Omer Wenkert’s 505 days in hell tested his body but not his soul. A young man who loved food, music, and people, he emerged emaciated but unbowed, his dreams delayed but not destroyed. His story—of a festival turned nightmare, a family’s relentless hope, and a survivor’s pledge to save others—stands as a powerful chapter in Israel’s ongoing saga. As he wrote, “I am still me,” ready to dance again and ensure no one is left behind.