Ofer Kalderon, a 54-year-old French-Israeli citizen and a father of four, has spent the last 15 months in Hamas captivity - after being abducted from his family home on Kibbutz Nir Oz alongside two of his children.
Now, after spending two birthdays in Gaza, Kalderon has safely returned to Israel on Saturday as part of the first phase of a new hostage-ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Ofer’s children Sahar, then-16, and Erez, then-12, were released as part of the November 2023 deal with Hamas.
As Sahar was taken from him in the hours before her release, which fell on his 53rd birthday, Ofer told her, “Fight for me; I don't want to die in the tunnels,” according to Ynet.
His family, including his American cousins, have repeatedly called for his release, according to NBC News. Cousin Jason Greenberg said in October that released hostages said Ofer was looking malnourished and had sustained injuries to his arm.
Ofer's brother Nissan found his brother's abduction particularly difficult and reported thinking about suicide as a result.
Freed hostage Adina Moshe reported seeing Ofer and Yarden Bibas confined behind bars in tunnels running underneath Gaza, according to Israel Hayom.
Kalderon family warmly welcomes Ofer home
Statement from the family of Ofer Kalderon: "Ofer is home! We are overwhelmed with joy, relief, and emotion after 484 long and difficult days of unbearable waiting.
"Today, we finally embrace Ofer, seeing and truly comprehending that he is here with us. We have witnessed how, through extraordinary mental strength, he survived this hell. Ofer endured months in a nightmare, and we are proud of his ability to survive and hold onto the hope of embracing his children again."
"A challenging rehabilitation period lies ahead, but we know that with our combined strength, abundant love, and a united, supportive family, we will do everything necessary to help him stand on his feet again."
"We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who stood by us, helped, supported, and encouraged us. In the midst of this emotional moment, we must remember all the hostages who remain behind. We have no right to stop until all 79 hostages return home - whether for rehabilitation or for burial. We kindly request privacy in the coming days."
Who is Ofer?
Ofer, a carpenter by trade, was described by his loved ones as a doting father and family man. When not at work or spending time with his family, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said that he enjoyed cycling, hiking, and flying model airplanes.
"Ofer is a very warm, very homely type," Ofer's cousin, Eyal Kalderon, told Ynet in November. "He is a very present father, and this is not a cliché. He has four amazing children and he is present in the lives of each and every one of them.”
Eyal added that released hostage Shani Goren had seen Ofer while being held in Gaza, and Ofer prepared food for her from the little rations he had available at the time.
On October 7, when Hamas invaded southern Israel and massacred some 1200 people, Ofer was hiding in his shelter along with Sahar and Erez. The three initially escaped capture by climbing through the shelter’s window, although they were later caught.
Two relatives of Kalderon were killed that day, niece Noya Dan and grandmother Camela Dan - although their bodies were not discovered for 12 days after the attack.
Noya Dan, a 12-year-old girl on the Autism spectrum, became wildly known for her love of Harry Potter. Her favorite author, J.K. Rowling, brought international attention to the young girl when it was still believed she was a captive.