Ohad Ben Ami, a former hostage who was held captive by Hamas in the Gaz Strip for 491 days, was released from the hospital on Thursday, six days after being released by the terrorist organization.
Ben Ami, 56, who was let go on Feb. 8 in an emaciated state as part of a propaganda-filled ceremony, completed initial treatment at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center’s Ichilov Hospital, it said.
Ben Ami was welcomed with applause by dozens of people when he arrived at the Tel Aviv apartment where his family has been staying.
Beautiful!
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) February 13, 2025
Released hostage Ohad Ben Ami, who was discharged from the hospital today, visited a school in Tel Aviv to meet with community children whose parents supported and stood by his family throughout his captivity.
[Credit: Paulina Patimer, @bringhomenow] pic.twitter.com/q6hiWgdctA
Ben Ami was handed over by the Red Cross to Israeli troops on Saturday alongside Or Levy, 34; and Eli Sharabi, 52. Ahead of their release, Hamas paraded the hostages on a stage in front of a raucous crowd in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah. The three men appeared frail and distraught.
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that the three released men looked “like Holocaust survivors. They were in horrible condition—emaciated. It looked like something from many years ago.”
Ben Ami was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7, 2023, along with his wife, Raz, who was freed as part of a weeklong truce in November 2023.
