In Israel, there was joy in Tel Aviv鈥檚 Hostage Square at news that Hamas had released all 20 living Israeli hostages.
Yosef-Chaim Ohana, 25, was one of those released. Ohana was kidnapped from the Supernova Sukkot gathering, an open-air music festival, which was attacked by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, 2023.
More than 350 were killed in that attack on the festival, 44 taken. Ohana鈥檚 friends, including Daniel Sharabi, who was left behind, were credited with saving many lives, treating the wounded and using weapons they found on an Israeli tank to fire at Hamas militants. One of those friends was killed.
Sharabi survived, but it鈥檚 been tough with what they witnessed, and worrying about Ohana, his best friend.
He was able to FaceTime with Ohana when Ohana crossed into Israel with other released hostages. He spoke with Here and Now鈥檚 Robin Young.
7 questions with Daniel Sharabi
What happened when you FaceTimed with Yosef?
鈥淭he first thing that he told me was, 鈥業 can鈥檛 believe that you are alive.鈥�
鈥淗e was in captivity by Hamas. Hamas, they hide them from news, from everything, from life, from food.鈥�
People may not have thought about what the hostages were thinking. That must have been quite a realization.
鈥淚t was amazing. Amazing.
鈥淚t was a shock for him to see me. And to see another of my friends that was wounded at Nova.鈥�
What did you say to him?
鈥淚 said we love him and we鈥檙e going to be here and we鈥檙e not going anywhere.
鈥溾�榊ou have a long way off recovery and we鈥檙e going to be there.鈥� And sorry.鈥�
What kind of recovery will he need?
鈥淟isten, there are so many Nova survivors that committed suicide. People from the concert, that was a normal music festival, committing suicide.
鈥淧eople that saw so many things and they got the PTSD and suffered by that. And for us now, when Yosef is home, it鈥檚 a big thing because now we can start our life back.
鈥淲e can start healing, only after he comes back.鈥�
So, it sounds like you鈥檙e saying that part of what you want to do is to help your friend recover mentally, too, to make sure he鈥檚 well, mentally.
鈥淭his is so important because you can survive Nova, you can survive captivity, but sometimes you can鈥檛 survive life. It鈥檚 much harder. For me, I鈥檓 not scared to die; I鈥檓 scared not to live.
鈥淭wo days ago, Nova survivors committed suicide.
鈥淎nd after Oct. 7, we opened the foundation called the Organization for the Survivors and Wounded.鈥�
You were a combat medic and helped treat the wounded that day. How are you doing?
鈥淥h, I鈥檓 much better for sure. I can smile. I鈥檓 smiling as I speak to you. But it鈥檚 still hard. It鈥檚 something you live with, but it鈥檚 never going to disappear. You can heal it. You can learn how to live with that. You know, when babies start for the first time, start to walk, we start again to walk, in our new life. It鈥檚 my life mission now.
鈥淚 will be very grateful if people would hear me now. First of all, will be open to see behind their friends鈥� walls. When their friends say something, sometimes you need to look behind it because you don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going on behind it. And I鈥檓 asking for help for us. Google us and support us with money, with therapies, with doctors. We need you guys. We need you, we鈥檙e fighting a big battle. And this is not about Jews and non-Jews it鈥檚 about humanity and people.鈥�
Daniel Have you been able to hug Yosef?
鈥淣o, but it鈥檚 going to be a very easy hug because he鈥檚 not so strong now.鈥�
This interview was edited for clarity.
Editor鈥檚 note: If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text .
____
produced and edited this segment for broadcast with . adapted it for the web.
This article was originally published on
Copyright 2025 WBUR