Or Levy, now 34, was attending the Nova Music Festival on October 7 with his 32-year-old wife, Eynav. The invading terrorists killed Eynav and abducted Or to Gaza, where he has been held hostage for the past year. He returned to Israel on Saturday in the fifth wave of hostage releases in the first phase of the deal.
Levy's family said they that the state he was released in has been hard to accept.
"Our hearts tremble and our minds struggle to comprehend the sight of Or, who has returned to us in such a devastating state," the family said. "His face bears witness to the hell he endured during 491 days in the hands of Hamas monsters."
"Words can barely contain the intensity of emotions we are experiencing at this moment - joy, relief, and happiness alongside deep pain for the time stolen from us. We hugged him tighter than we ever have, and it's still hard to believe he's really here. We eagerly await the moment when little Almog and Or will finally reunite, an embrace we've yearned for with every breath," they said. "In the midst of these emotions, our thoughts turn to Einav, of blessed memory, Almog's mother, who was murdered on that cursed day. Her loss has left an enormous void in all our hearts. We believe she's watching from above, happy to see Almog finally receiving his father's embrace. Her memory and her way will always guide us."
The family also thanked those who helped pave the way for Levy's return.
On October 7
Levy and his wife had only arrived at the festival minutes before the attack started and fled quickly after hearing the sirens blare. The two found themselves in the now-infamous 'death shelter.'
Eynav’s body was discovered four days after the massacre, Or’s family told the National Post.
Or returned home to his 3-year-old son Almog as part of the first phase of a new ceasefire hostage deal.
Levy was released alongside Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi. The three appeared weak, frightened, and frail.
After their first appearance in Deir al-Baleh, the Hostages Families Forum said, "The distressing images from the release of Ohad, Eli, and Or serve as yet another stark and undeniable reminder—that time is running out for the hostages!
We must bring everyone home, every last one of them. Now!"
Before being taken, Or found the time to make one last call to his parents - among the last words they heard were “Mom, you don’t want to know what’s going on here.”
Michael Levy, Or’s brother, told the Media Line that footage released from the attacks showed that Or was taken to Gaza in relatively good health alongside the murdered American-Israeli captive Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Concerns for Or
In the November 2024 interview, Michael said the IDF believed Or was alive, but the family remains concerned for his wellbeing.
“Or is almost 6 foot 3 inches, about 1.9 meters, and I can’t imagine what it must be like for him in those tunnels,” Michael said. “We also know that he saw his wife being murdered, which is something that would be very traumatizing in itself.”
“I still believe my brother will return, but it’s harder with each day. My life is still frozen on October 7, 2023. My family barely sees me, and I can’t move forward until Or is back,” he explained. “This isn’t about politics. It’s about human beings—people with dreams and hopes who want to live in peace. Almog is a three-year-old boy who just wants his dad. I don’t hate anyone, not Palestinians or anyone else. I just want my brother back. Freeing the hostages is the first step toward peace.”
Or and Eynav’s absence has reportedly been devastating for their son Almog, Michael told multiple media sites. He reportedly bursts into tears at the mention of the words “mom” and “dad” and frequently asks when he can return from his grandparent’s house to his family home.