On Monday, twin brothers Ziv and Ghari Berman, who had been taken hostage by Hamas, embraced for the first time in over two years after they were reunited. They were handed over to the Israel Defense Forces as part of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.
The moment was emotional; they hugged each other in disbelief, smiles lighting up their faces, as they returned to safety. They, along with other freed hostages, were welcomed by a cheering crowd outside the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan.
The twins had been abducted from their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during a terrorist attack on October 7, which tragically led to the deaths of 11 out of the 37 residents. Initially, their family was not informed that they were alive until a week after the attack, with confirmation of their well-being not arriving until February.
Keith Siegel, a former hostage released in July, stated that the Berman brothers had been “separated and injured in captivity.” Before being taken hostage, they were known for their hard work, often taking shifts to care for their father, who is battling Parkinson’s disease and dementia, as mentioned by their mother, Talia.
Talia highlighted Ziv’s work ethic—always being on the go and enjoying his tasks. He was well-known to be a bit of a prankster as well. In contrast, she described Ghari as having a “heart-melting charm,” along with a determined spirit and a knack for solving problems.
The brothers were part of a group of seven hostages released from Hamas to the Red Cross before being returned home. Alongside them were other individuals like Eitan Mor and Alon Oher. After the Berman twins’ return, Hamas also released another group of 13 Israeli hostages to the Red Cross.
The IDF confirmed that the released hostages would be reunited with their families following necessary medical exams.
