Eitan Mor is "thin and pale, but he's smiling", says his mother Efrat Mor to The Times of Israel after seeing her son in a video recording.
It's a miracle. He looks fantastic.
Ilan Dalal's son, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, was like Eitan Mor among the first seven to be released early on Monday. The family is euphoric, says the father to the Israeli Haaretz.
This is a dream come true. We are euphoric, incredibly excited and dying to hug him.
"Bursting with happiness"
For the soldier Nimrod Cohen's family, like for most of the hostages' relatives, the day is marked by uncertainty. How the 21-year-old son is doing after two years of captivity is unclear. In February 2025, the hostages who were then released stated that they had seen Nimrod Cohen alive in Gaza, but that his physical and mental condition was poor. But the most important thing is that he's alive.
My heart is bursting with happiness. We will be hugging him very soon, says the mother Vikki Cohen to Haaretz.
For others, like 38-year-old hostage Eitan Horn's uncle, it's hard to believe it's true.
I keep telling myself it's not real until I can touch him, says Sergio Shmiel to Haaretz.
Taken from festival
In the first round on Monday morning, the soldier Matan Angrest, the twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, Omri Miran, Alon Ohel, Eitan Mor and Guy Gilboa-Dalal were released. The last three were kidnapped from the music festival Nova near the Gaza Strip border on October 7, 2023.
The remaining 13 were released about two hours later, just before 10 Swedish time.
According to the agreement between Israel and the terrorist-stamped Hamas, around 2,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel will be released in return.
Mia Holmberg Karlsson/TT
Facts: They are released from Gaza today
TT
The following 20 people have, according to Israeli media, been released alive from Gaza today, where they have been held by the terrorist-stamped Hamas and other extremist groups for over two years. All were taken to the Gaza Strip during Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023.
Ariel Cunio, 28, was taken from the kibbutz Nir Oz.
David Cunio, 35, was taken from Nir Oz.
Gali and Ziv Berman, 28-year-old twin brothers who were taken from the kibbutz Kfar Aza.
Matan Angrest, 22, a soldier whose tank was attacked near the Gaza Strip border.
Matan Zangauker, 25, was taken from Nir Oz.
Eitan Horn, 38, an Israeli-Argentine citizen. Was taken from Nir Oz.
Nimrod Cohen, 21, a soldier whose tank was attacked by Hamas in Nahal Oz.
Omri Miran, 48, was taken from his home in Nahal Oz.
Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24, was taken from the music festival Nova.
Alon Ohel, 24. Was taken from the music festival Nova. Has Israeli, German and Serbian citizenship.
Yosef-Chaim Ohana, 25, was taken from the Nova festival.
Elkana Bohbot, 36, was taken from the Nova festival.
Avinatan Or, 32, was taken from the Nova festival.
Eitan Mor, 25, was taken from the Nova festival where he worked as a security guard.
Maxim Herkin, 37, an Israeli-Russian citizen who was taken from the music festival Nova.
Bar Kupershtein, 23, was taken from the Nova festival.
Segev Kalfon, 27, was taken from the Nova festival.
Evyatar David, 24, was taken from the Nova festival.
Rom Braslabski, 21, was taken from the Nova festival.
