Copyright ynetnews
Last week, after more than two years in captivity in Gaza, Israeli hostage Omri Miran returned home to his family, beginning what his wife, Lishay Miran-Lavi, described as a long and emotional process of rebuilding their lives. Miran-Lavi recalled the moment she told their two daughters, Roni and Alma, that their father was finally coming home. “When the deal was announced, I told the girls that Dad would be back soon,” she said. “Roni’s first reaction was to draw a picture of the four of us together.” The family reunion took place near Re’im, where Miran, who had been held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza since the October 2023 attacks, was released as part of a negotiated exchange. “When he got out of the car, before I even reached him, I called the girls and said, ‘Dad’s back,’” Miran-Lavi said. “When they saw him, we were all wearing shirts printed with Roni’s drawing.” Despite her fears about his physical and emotional state, she said Miran “came back as Omri.” The moment he saw his daughters, she said, “the sparkle and smile returned to his eyes.” Miran-Lavi said her husband knew about the joint statement she and the Segal family released in April 2024, after Hamas circulated a video showing both men alive in captivity. “It was hard for him to see me in that statement,” she said, “but it also gave him strength—it proved to him we were alive.” Throughout his captivity, she refused to give up hope. “Even when we knew nothing, I held on to the belief that he was alive and would come home on his feet,” she said. “I don’t know what they’re made of—to stand after more than two years in that hell.” Now back home in Kibbutz Kramim, the family is taking things one day at a time. “We have a long road of recovery, personal and family rebuilding,” she said. “It’s not like after two years Dad comes home and everything’s fine. It will take time. We’re learning to live and talk again.” Miran-Lavi said her focus is on helping their daughters heal. “I’ll do everything so our girls grow up in health, joy and happiness,” she said. “Their laughter and playfulness are what give us strength now.” She also called on the Israeli public to be mindful of their words and tone, as the nation continues to heal from the trauma of the October 7 Hamas attacks. “We’re still in very turbulent times,” she said. “We all need to pay attention to what we write and say—because we have to rebuild ourselves as a people.” Miran-Lavi said she will only feel true relief when all remaining hostages return home. “Each one of them is a whole world,” she said. “I’ll only really breathe again when everyone comes back.” She ended with a message of gratitude: “I want to thank our soldiers, our fighters and the security forces. Even now, they’re risking their bodies and souls. The word ‘thank you’ is too small.”
