Moment paralysed Israeli father stands to embrace his newly-released hostage son after learning to walk and talk again while his boy was being held in Gaza hell

The miraculously paralyzed father of an Israeli hostage stood up to embrace his newly released son after he learned to walk and talk again while in captivity.

Bar Kuperstein, a 23-year-old from Holon, was working at the Nova music festival on October 7 when he was kidnapped by terrorists who carried out a massive attack, killing 378 partygoers and taking 44 others to Gaza.

After being held in the hell of Gaza for two years, he was finally returned to Israel on Monday.

His father, Tal Kuperstein, who was paralyzed during an operation following a traffic accident five years ago, learned to walk and talk again with the help of a physical therapist so that he could advocate for his son and embrace him when he was released.

In a touching video, his father is seen rising from his wheelchair to hug his son.

He stands with his mother, brother and grandmother, with his arm around Bar’a, who is draped in an Israeli flag.

In a statement, the family said: ‘It’s been an impossible journey of two years – two years of doing everything we could to make sure everyone knew who Bar was – and now everyone will finally truly know him.

Two years of ‘Tal continuing to push forward, doing everything possible despite his own challenges – all so he could be ready to embrace Bar.

A touching video shows Bar Kuperstein’s father rising from his wheelchair to hug his son.

Bar Kuperstein, 23, of Holon, was kidnapped while working at the Nova music festival on October 7.

We knew that ‘Bar’ was also full of faith, courage and strength. Thank God he escaped this horror. ‘Now is the time for healing for him and for us.’

They thanked God, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump and the ‘beautiful’ Israeli people.

Rather than running away from himself and the survivors of the attack, Bar was helping those shot and injured by terrorists during the Nova massacre.

His family searched for him when the sirens started blaring, but hours later they found videos and photos of him tied to the ground by Hamas.

The last they saw of him until Monday was a short propaganda clip released by Hamas showing evidence of his life and that of fellow captive Maxim Herkin.

Bar was released along with the surviving hostages and taken to an Israeli military base in Re’im, near the Gaza border, before being transferred to a hospital in the south of the country.

In emotional scenes on Monday, captives who spent 738 days in the hands of Hamas were reunited with their parents, family, friends and loved ones.

Tears of unimaginable joy were shed as the former hostages ran into the arms of their loved ones, who have spent every day since October 7, 2023, fighting to escape the harsh captivity in the region’s underground tunnel network.

Tal Kuperstein suffered a stroke during the operation he had after a traffic accident five years ago.

The father learned to walk again so that he could be with his son during his captivity and embrace him on his return.

Bar Kupershtein’s family and friends celebrate while awaiting release. Father Tal is sitting in the second row from the right.

48-year-old Omri Miran was photographed reuniting with his wife Lishay Miran-Lavi and talking on the tablet with his daughters Roni (4) and Alma (2) at the Re’im base.

On October 7, 2023, when Alma was only six months old, she was abducted from her home in Nahal Oz. He has since learned to say ‘Abba’ (‘Father’ in Hebrew).

Omri, the oldest of the captives, was part of the first group of Israeli hostages released this morning, along with 22-year-old Matan Angrest; twins Gali and Ziv Berman, 28; Alon Ohel, 24; Eitan Mor, 25; and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24.

They are Matan Zangauker, 25; Nimrod Cohen, 21; Ariel Cunio, 28; David Cunio, 35; Evyatar David, 24; Yosef-Haim Ohana, 25; Elkana Bohbot, 36; Avinatan Or, 32; Bar Kupershtein, 23; Segev Kalfon, 27; Rom Braslabski, 21; Eitan Horn, 38; and Maxim Herkin, 37.

In a historic speech to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, US President Donald Trump said: ‘After years of incessant wars and endless dangers, today the skies are calm, the guns are silent and the sirens are still silent.’

The military said Alon, Guy and Omri were taken to hospital by Israeli Air Force helicopters after initial medical evaluation.

Although Hamas was instructed to hand over 28 bodies as part of the peace deal, it is expected to hand over only four bodies this afternoon.

The terrorist organization had previously admitted that they did not know where the remains of the dead hostages were.

It is thought that some of the remains were lost in Gaza and buried under rubble.

Tens of thousands of Israelis were also watching the transfers at public screenings across the country, with a major event held in Tel Aviv.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump at Ben Gurion International Airport amid the U.S.-brokered prisoner-hostage exchange and ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, October 13, 2025, in Lod, Israel.

A Red Cross vehicle transports hostages held in Gaza since the deadly attack on October 7, 2023

A multinational joint task force led by Israel, the United States, Türkiye, Qatar and Egypt is being established to locate the bodies that have not been returned.

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum said the terror group was guilty of a ‘blatant violation’ of the ceasefire agreement by not returning all those killed today.

The US president arrived in Israel this morning, where he gave a very important speech to the Knesset. He will then travel to Egypt for the international peace summit to end the war in Gaza.

“After two harrowing years in darkness and captivity, 20 brave hostages are returning to the glorious embrace of their families,” Trump said.

‘Twenty-eight more precious lovers are finally coming home to rest forever on this sacred land.’

Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced that he will award the American leader the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor, the country’s highest civilian honor.

Trump signed the Knesset’s guest book and wrote: ‘This is a great honor for me. This is a beautiful day. A fresh start.”