On the 738th day since Alon Ohel was taken hostage, his family and friends, who had long awaited this moment, erupted into cheers and blew shofars—traditional horns that herald joyful news. Their celebration marked the moment they saw him on a livestream among the seven hostages first released to the Red Cross on Monday morning (Monday evening AEDT).

“This is the best morning in my life. I just want to hug him,” Ohel’s cousin, Noam Rozen, 24, said before choking up.

Ruby Chen, father of Itay Chen, who is believed to be among the deceased, stated that families of those not returning home alive would appeal to US President Donald Trump for continued support.

“During the hostage families’ meeting with President Trump today, they will voice their deepest gratitude,” Chen stated. “Yet, we must emphasize that our mission remains unfinished, and healing cannot begin until the last deceased hostage is returned to their family.”

For observant Jews, Monday held an extra special meaning.

The events of both the October 7, 2023, attack and the subsequent release of hostages coincided with the Jewish celebration of Simchat Torah, a festive occasion that marks the start of a new cycle of Torah reading. It is among the most joyous Jewish holidays, characterized by dancing with the Torah.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1200 people and taking 251 as hostages.

In Israel’s subsequent offensive, over 67,600 Palestinians have been reported dead in Gaza, as per Gaza’s Health Ministry. This figure, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, indicates that approximately half of those killed were women and children. The ministry functions under the Hamas-led government, and its statistics are widely regarded as the most credible estimates of wartime fatalities by the UN and many independent experts.