Video Shows 9-Year-Old Reuniting With Dad, Brother After 49 Days in Hamas Captivity

A nine-year-old boy, Ohad Munder, who loves Rubik’s cubes and spent his ninth birthday as a hostage in Gaza, was recently released on the first day of a four-day truce and prisoner exchange.

A video from the Schneider Children’s Medical Centre captured the emotional moment when Ohad ran into his father’s arms in a hospital corridor, marking their reunion after nearly 50 days of separation.

Gilat Livni, the center’s director of pediatrics, informed reporters that Ohad was among four children released on Friday. She described their condition as relatively good. Livni mentioned that some children shared their experiences, but she refrained from providing further details.

“They shared experiences. We were up with them until late at night and it was interesting, upsetting and moving,” Livni said.

Roni Haviv, Ohad’s 27-year-old cousin, expressed her eagerness to reunite with him. She looked forward to giving him his beloved Rubik’s cube, which he missed greatly. “I’m waiting to see Ohad and can’t wait to give him his Rubik’s cube, which I know he really loved and he probably missed it so much,” Haviv said. Later, hospital photos showed Ohad playing with a Rubik’s cube and blowing bubbles.

Ohad’s father revealed that while Ohad, his mother Keren (54), and grandmother Ruth (78) were all fine and healthy, his grandfather, 78-year-old Avraham Munder, remained captive in Gaza.

The release by Hamas fighters included 13 Israeli hostages, among them two sisters aged two and four with their mother, a five-year-old girl and her mother, and elderly women. These individuals were part of approximately 240 people abducted by Hamas gunmen in southern Israel on October 7.

Additionally, 10 Thai hostages and one Filipino, captured at the same time, were freed under a separate agreement, as stated by Qatari mediators. Following their release, the hostages underwent initial medical checks and were reunited with their families. Yosef Mendelovich, associate director of Israel’s Ministry of Health, expressed relief at their return. “We’ve all anxiously awaited their return and are elated to see the day that they have come home to us,” Mendelovich said.

The rest of a group of at least 50 Israeli hostages, part of a Qatari-brokered agreement, are expected to be released in the coming days. More hostages could be added if the truce deal is extended.

Egyptian security sources reported receiving names of 14 Israeli women and children from Hamas for release on Saturday, awaiting further details on the transfer to Egyptian authorities.

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