Moshe Or, the brother of hostage Avinatan Or, spoke about the overwhelming emotions he is experiencing as he prepares to reunite with his brother following two years of captivity.
“I’m still not fully processing it,” Moshe said in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet. “The walls we built to protect ourselves are slowly starting to crack, but the process isn’t complete yet.”
He described the surreal moments leading up to the reunion: “Suddenly, there’s a call from the liaison officer asking, ‘What’s Avinatan’s shoe size?’ They’re asking us to retrieve his belongings from storage and prepare his room at the hospital. My kids wrote him letters and drew pictures. It’s really happening.”
Moshe also shared how the family is coping with the emotional weight of Avinatan’s return. They are receiving guidance from professionals on how to navigate the initial meeting. “The main advice is to be patient and empathetic toward any reactions that may arise due to trauma.”
He further noted the support of Noa Argamani, Avinatan’s girlfriend and fellow former hostage, who has remained close to the family throughout the ordeal. “Noa has always been part of our fight. Now she, too, is dealing with a kind of closure after being separated from Avinatan for so long.”