Friends Rejoice as Evyatar David Returns After 737 Days in Captivity

After 737 excruciating days in Hamas captivity, Evyatar David, 24, is finally home and for his closest friends, the news brought not only celebration, but closure.

David was one of the many young Israelis abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. On Monday morning, as part of the final phase of a hard-won hostage deal, he was released and with him, a wave of emotion swept through Israel.

In Hod HaSharon, friends Omer Levi and Guy Melamed gathered with others to watch a live broadcast of the release. They had waited over 24 hours, camped in a friend’s building, hoping and praying for a moment that had once seemed impossibly far away.

"It's pure anticipation," Melamed said, eyes fixed on the screen.

The road to this moment was paved with pain and powerlessness. When Hamas published videos on Telegram showing David being taken into Gaza, his friends were devastated. “At first, we thought maybe he was still in Israel,” said Melamed. But the next footage showed David being marched through the streets of Gaza. “That’s when we knew it was too late.”

For over two years, Levi and Melamed carried the unbearable weight of uncertainty. “You feel guilty about enjoying life,” Melamed admitted. “He’s walking in tunnels in Gaza, and I’m here, free.”

David and his best friend Guy Gilboa-Dalal, who was also abducted, were held together for most of their captivity. The two featured in Hamas propaganda videos one showing them left behind during a staged release, and another, in August 2025, showing David digging what appeared to be his own grave.

“That last video…” Levi paused. “It was a life signal but also a reminder that the clock was ticking. We had to act.”

While Israel has paid a high price for the deal including the release of numerous convicted terrorists Levi believes it reflects Israel’s deepest values. “This deal is very hard on the Israeli side,” he said. “But it shows how much we value life. I’m proud to be part of a society that sacrifices so much for the individual.”

David’s return is not just a personal story. He became a symbol of unity through “Evyatar’s Jams”, a weekly music session at Hostages Square that turned into a beacon of solidarity. David, a passionate guitarist and singer, inspired others to raise their voices for freedom and compassion.

“The jam wasn’t about politics,” Levi explained. “It was just about being there for each other being one.”

Now, the hope is that this Thursday’s jam will be unlike any other because Evyatar David might finally be there in person, guitar in hand, surrounded by love and the freedom he so deeply deserves.

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