Hostage Survivor Shares Ordeal at President's Residence for First Time

For the first time, the President's Residence in Jerusalem hosted a "Otef Salon" event, featuring Omri Miran, who was held captive by Hamas for 738 days, and his wife, Yishai Lavie Miran. The event is part of a national initiative by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and KKL-JNF, aiming to share the testimonies of October 7th survivors through intimate gatherings across Israel. Miran and his wife will recount their experiences during his captivity, the family's uncertainty in Israel, and the ongoing physical and emotional challenges faced by former hostages and their families after returning home.

The gathering at the President's Residence will open with remarks from the President of Israel and the Chairman of KKL-JNF, and will be moderated by journalist and director Ben Shani. The "Otef Salon" initiative organizes community and home-based meetings where citizens can hear firsthand accounts from survivors of the October 7th massacre, evacuees, and families of hostages.

Hundreds of similar "salon" meetings are scheduled to take place in communities and private homes throughout Israel in the coming days, with tens of thousands of Israelis expected to attend and hear the stories from the Gaza border region and captivity directly.