Welcome home, now we can exhale!

I don’t think a single person slept a wink in Israel on Sunday night, 12 October. You could feel a sense of hope mixed with trepidation descend across the country as we prepared for the day we had long hoped for – the return of our hostages.

On 7 October 2023, more than 250 of our brothers and sisters were brutally abducted as Hamas rampaged across southern Israel, committing a trail of atrocities. Many of them were murdered and their corpses taken hostage as a sick bargaining tool. Others were murdered in captivity. The living hostages subjected to horrific and cruel conditions. Each hostage is a hero, and a hero’s welcome they received.

For Israelis, the individual stories of each hostage is a part of our collective soul. They feel like members of our family – and they are. We know the story of our “Romeo and Juliet” – Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or – so cruelly separated as they were both taken into captivity. Noa’s arms stretched out to her love as she was taken into Gaza on the back of a motorbike is an image we will never forget. Daniel Perez, who fought so bravely and fiercely along with his team in their tank at Nahal Oz on 7 October. Bipin Joshi, a Nepalese student of agriculture whose fate was unknown until we had the devastating confirmation that he was murdered in captivity. Omri Miran, whose two sweet little girls greeted the moon every night until they could say “good night Daddy” in person. Elkana Bohbot’s five-year-old son, Re’em, had to be taken to kindergarten when school started an hour later than the other children because they had daddies to take them and he didn’t. Herut Nimrodi fought like a lioness for her son, Tamir, whose fate was also unknown until this week. Each one of them a universe.

For 738 days, their families, supported by Israelis, the Jewish people, and all of our allies fought like lions to scream their names, lobby, and to make sure that every corner of the globe heard our resounding message – bring them home now!

For 738 days, we hoped, prayed, shook the heavens, bargained with the Almighty, and anyone in power. We were brought to our knees, pleading, and breathed the fire of our relentless fight for our brothers and sisters. Our bravest and best have fought with all their might, and many have paid the ultimate price.

Now we can start to exhale. The healing process can begin. Our hostages aren’t just numbers or faces on posters. They are real people, our brothers and sisters, fathers and sons, husbands and lovers.

It’s impossible to put into words the sheer jubilation we felt on seeing our brothers come home and reunite with their loved ones. From midnight on Sunday, Israelis gathered at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, anxiously waiting for the first sign of return. Then, the eruptions across the country!

I don’t think there was a dry eye in the country as one by one, we watched our brothers safe on Israeli soil in the hands of the Israel Defense Forces and then reunited with their loved ones. I could watch these reunions all day. Tal Kuperstein, standing for the first time to hug his son, Bar. Segev Kalfon’s wail of happiness to see his family. Twins, Ziv and Gali Berman, reunited after separation in captivity. Evyatar David and childhood friend Guy Gilboa-Dalal, frail but finding strength when reunited in hospital after their captivity. Lionesses Lishay Miran-Lavi and Einav Zangaukar reunited with Omri and Matan. Matan Angrest, summoning superhuman strength to attend and deliver a eulogy at Daniel Perez’s funeral. Eitan Horn and Eitan Mor with their families. Avinatan Or holding his girlfriend, Noa Argamani. Ariel Kunio and Arbel Yehud. David Kunio and his little girls. Rom Braslavski watching the sunset for the first time in two years. Elkanah Bohbot hugging his little boy. Alon Ohel playing the piano for the first time. Maksym Harkin pale but safe in the arms of his family. Yosef-Haim Ohana shaking the lulav and etrog, and Nimrod Cohen joking with his siblings. We cannot get enough of them!

The Israeli people have spirit like no other. Yes, there are times we are divided and fight bitterly, but nobody comes together as we do. The love that has surrounded our hostages and their families is like no other. To the many reading this who feel despair at the hatred we see on social media, focus on the love we have for each other. This is our promise, and this is why we have survived for millennia. We really are a nation of lions!

Finally, they are home! Israelis can breathe again. Though we can start to heal as a nation, we will also still carry the pain of 7 October and two years of war with us for generations. It won’t define us, but will walk alongside us.

At the time of writing this, there are still 19 hostages whose remains are held by Hamas. We won’t stop until they are all home for a dignified burial. So, while we exhale, we also know that there is still work to be done. Am Yisrael Chai!