The tour was led by Shai Gefen, the director of the museum, and Avner Franklin, whose daughter, Michal Franklin, was murdered in a terror attack at French Hill in Jerusalem in 2002.
During the visit, Ohana and his father were presented with photos, exhibits, and stories documenting Jewish life in the Gaza Strip before the 2005 Disengagement. Among other things, they learned about the settlement and agriculture that flourished in the region, as well as the destruction of the communities under the Disengagement Plan.
Ohana told Arutz Sheva that the visit stirred up many emotions in him, especially after spending time in the Gaza Strip. "There are many mixed emotions. To see what beauty, how Jews lived there and how much the land flourished; and on the other hand to see how the place looks now, it really hurts."
He added that "there is also a good feeling coming here, since we Jews, if there's one thing we're good at, it's remembering." He noted that the Gush Katif Museum serves that purpose. "This place comes to remind us of a very special period of the Jewish people in Gaza. It's very important, and I'm happy to be here and see. I've always been interested in what happened in Gaza."
Despite the difficult time he spent in captivity, Ohana shares a surprising conclusion: "If you would tell me: 'Yosef, take any two years of your life, when you were a baby, in elementary school, in high school, or when you were a hostage, which would you give up?' The last years I would give up are my two years in Gaza."
Avi, Yosef Haim’s father, spoke during the visit about what he calls “the miracle of the Four Species." Shortly after Yosef Haim was released from captivity, near the end of the Sukkot holiday, Avi had the privilege of giving his son the Four Species to perform the mitzvah.
The father said the moment brought an especially moving sense of closure. Before his son was taken captive, he had blessed him that, in the merit of the Four Species, he would be saved from every mortal danger. After Yosef Haim returned home, Avi was able to watch him fulfill the mitzvah himself.