Iair Horn, 46, the eldest of the Horn brothers, was taken from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his younger brother Eitan, 37, who had been visiting that fateful weekend of October 7. In an impossible Solomon-like judgment, Iair is set to be released while Eitan remains absent from the list. Signs of life from both brothers have been received through previously released hostages.
"It's incredibly difficult for our parents to have two of their children in captivity, but they remain optimistic. Since that day, I've been in a constant struggle," says their brother Amos Horn, 42. "We're very close – in the smallest things, like the food I eat, the music I listen to, or Hapoel Be'er Sheva soccer matches – I used to write to them about everything. Now I just remember them and miss them."
Ruth Strum, the brothers' mother, shared: "From the beginning, I've held onto hope and known my sons will return home. That's my feeling – I know they're alive. Everyone is preparing for Hanukkah, but since October 7, I haven't had any holidays, I have nothing. I remained stuck on October 7, waiting for them to return so we can try to resume our normal lives."
She added: "At this stage, everyone is in a humanitarian situation. We can't make distinctions. We already had one opportunity to bring hostages back, but the deal was halted midway – and sadly, some people who were supposed to return died – they could have been here with us, alive. Only when everyone is here can we truly begin to heal."
Ruth already envisions the day of her sons' return: "I think about the day they come back – I think I'll just look at them and hug them – then they'll decide what happens next – if they want to talk, we'll talk, and if not, we'll wait until they decide what's best for them."
The Horn family, with their three sons, was born in Argentina. The three brothers immigrated to Israel for Zionist ideals, and their parents followed. That Saturday, Eitan traveled from Kfar Saba to visit his older brother Iair when the attack began. The family sent them messages, but contact was eventually lost, and days later, they received news of the kidnapping.
Iair serves as Kibbutz Nir Oz's event organizer, producing holiday activities and even managing the local pub. He's an active uncle to his two nephews (Amos's children), with one of their favorite family activities being Hapoel Be'er Sheva soccer matches.
Dalia Kushnir, their sister-in-law, shared: "Iair is the uncle who builds wooden toys. They're Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans, and since the children were young, they've gone to games together. People who returned from captivity told us they met them in Gaza and their condition was relatively good, but with the renewal of fighting, there's fear – fear they'll be abandoned for a third time."
