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HERZLIYA — A crowd gathered outside the home of recently freed hostage Omer Shem-Tov in Herzliya on Saturday night to welcome him back after his discharge from the hospital.
The 22-year-old was released from Hamas captivity on February 22, included in the final group of captives freed in the first stage of the hostage-ceasefire deal.
Shem-Tov’s mother, Shelly, revealed that her son had been held for 450 days alone in a tunnel, where he endured harsh conditions.
Following his release, Shem-Tov was admitted to Beilinson Hospital, which announced that he would begin daily rehabilitation visits to aid his recovery.
The former captive was seen returning home wearing a Brazilian national soccer team shirt of former star Ronaldo — the same shirt he had on when he was abducted by Hamas terrorists during the brutal October 7, 2023, attack.
Speaking briefly to the media through the car window upon his arrival, Shem-Tov expressed gratitude to those gathered to welcome him and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages.
Video footage shared on X by public broadcaster Kan showed a flag-waving crowd singing and dancing next to a balloon arch outside his home.
Supporters held signs reading, “How good that you’ve come home,” capturing the mix of relief and continued concern for those still in captivity.
Shay Itzhak, a neighbor of the Shem-Tov family, described the moment as “the best feeling in the world.” Speaking to the Ynet news site, he praised Omer’s resilience and expressed hope for a brighter future.
“Omer is a dear person. This entire period for the people of Israel… it brought us closer together. What can I say? There’s happiness but also sadness. We hope we will get through it all,” Itzhak said.
Tali Messika, another supporter who came to show solidarity with the Shem-Tov family, told Ynet that the atmosphere was filled with relief and anticipation.
“We are very happy he returned home,” Messika said. “We are waiting for all the hostages, for everyone to come home safe and sound.”
Shem-Tov was among the attendees of the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack that resulted in the deaths of hundreds and the abduction of dozens.
He was captured along with his friends Itay and Maya Regev, who were freed in a separate hostage deal in November 2023.
Before his abduction, Shem-Tov had last communicated with his parents around 10 a.m. on the day of the attack, his voice increasingly panicked as the situation escalated.
After fleeing the festival grounds in a friend’s car, he sent his family his live location, which they watched in growing horror as it moved toward Gaza. Contact was soon lost, plunging his family into a 450-day ordeal of uncertainty and fear.
Now, as Shem-Tov begins the challenging process of rehabilitation, his family and the broader Israeli community continue to hold out hope for the safe return of the remaining hostages.