President Isaac Herzog met this evening, Tuesday, with released hostage Omer Wenkert, who was held by Hamas for over a year and freed this past February. Omer was abducted on October 7, 2023, from a bomb shelter in Kibbutz Re’im after escaping the massacre at the Nova music festival.
During the meeting, the President spoke with Omer and his parents, Niva and Shai, about his experience in captivity, the challenges of rehabilitation, and the urgent need to bring home the remaining hostages.
The President told Omer: “I am truly overjoyed—on behalf of an entire nation—to see you here. I know the hell you went through. To think that during all that time you knew nothing—no one spoke to you, you didn’t see any television, you weren’t updated—and now you are here with us. Your presence is a message of hope: to encourage those still held captive, to cry out on their behalf, to pray, and to do everything possible to bring every one of them home, as soon as possible. I also want to thank your wonderful parents, who were simply remarkable. Thank you, Niva and Shai, who have been an example and an inspiration. We will continue to pray and hope for good news soon.”
Omer responded to the President: “Through you, I appeal to our people, to our leaders, and to all world leaders—first and foremost, we must bring the hostages home as soon as possible. For me, this is not a political issue. It’s not about right or left. First and foremost, it is our duty—as a people and as a state—to bring all our people back. I also want to say that I am deeply worried about the condition of the hostages. It’s been a long time since I came back—over 100 days. That’s not a short time. I’m very worried, and while people say it’s a cliché that every moment counts—it’s the truth. Every moment is critical.”
Niva, Omer’s mother, added: “They don’t have time. Not one more minute. Let’s save them. Let’s save ourselves so we can truly begin to rise again.”
Shai, Omer’s father: “It is possible to bring the hostages home. It is possible to get them out. And we are here until the last hostage is returned. Omer can testify to what he endured there. We are part of the most important struggle in the State of Israel—bringing all the hostages home.”