After 505 days in Hamas captivity, Omer Wenkert was released today from Hamas captivity as part of the hostage deal. This is his story.
On October 7, Omer Wenkert (22) went to spend time and dance with his close friend Kim at the Nova festival in Re'im. When the terrorist attack began, they tried to escape. Omer texted his parents during the attack while he was in a bomb shelter. At 7:01 a.m., he wrote to them, "God, missiles above my head," and shortly after added, "Damn, there are shots here, Mom." He reported hearing explosions, and when asked if he was okay, he replied, "No." He then added, "I'm dying from fear."
Throughout the day, it became clear that Kim had been murdered, and Omer was kidnapped to the Gaza Strip. His family discovered this from a video circulated by Hamas, showing him lying in a truck, surrounded by terrorists, with one particularly painful image – where he is handcuffed with both hands.
Before his kidnapping, Omer managed a large restaurant and was about to begin studying restaurant management. His mother, Niva, keeps Omer's mobile phone in an envelope, after it was found by a soldier in the field a month after the kidnapping. The phone itself is shattered into pieces, bearing witness to the horrors that occurred in the bomb shelter.
Shortly after the kidnapping, his mother, Niva Wenkert, said: "We saw pictures of him alive and well. My son Omer is sick with colitis. There are medications he takes regularly. There is a danger if he doesn't receive his medication. I'm calling on Hamas – it's on your heads if children and the elderly don't receive their medications. It's on your heads."
As mentioned, Omer suffers from an intestinal illness, and he is expected to be released on humanitarian grounds. Dr. Adi Fox, his family doctor, shared previously: "Omer is diagnosed with colitis, and he is under constant treatment with Raphasel. If he loses blood, he will become anemic and will need iron. This medication requires proper treatment and a calm environment. He suffers, and this can lead to an immediate life-threatening danger. That's why the World Health Organization needs to release him to allow him to receive treatment and save his life."
Since Omer's kidnapping, the earth has shaken in the Wenkert household. "We are in an uncompromising war," his mother said. His story is especially painful given that his grandmother, Tzili, a Holocaust survivor, shared: "It's like someone hit me on the head with a big hammer. All the pain I had opened up. This is the worst thing that has happened to me. This is my real Holocaust. Back then, I was a baby. Back then, I had a family. Now, who will protect me? They are all in trouble. I feel bad for Omer, but I also feel bad for my child, my son, Omer's father."
Shai Wenkert, Omer's father, spoke at a rally: "We are out of strength, but in every small corner, in every vein of my body, I have more strength, because I have no right to give up, I have no right to sleep or do other things. 24/7, this is my life's mission, and we will bring everyone home."
