Former Hamas Hostage Yair Horen Reunites with Family and Returns to Football Passion at Turner Stadium
On the morning of February 15, 2025, Yair Horen from Kibbutz Nir Oz was released from Hamas captivity after 498 days, alongside two other hostages. Shortly after takeoff on the helicopter transporting him from the Gaza border to a central Israel hospital, Horen requested a detour to fly over the Toto Turner Stadium, home of his beloved Hapoel Be'er Sheva football club. Wearing a red jersey, he emotionally viewed the stadium from above, symbolizing a rare moment of light amid the turmoil Israel faced since October 7, 2023.
Despite his freedom, Horen’s heart remained with his brother Eitan, who was still held captive in Gaza until October 2025 when the last hostages were freed. The family was finally reunited, including their brother Amos, who had attended games wearing shirts bearing images of his captive siblings. Now 48, Horen expressed excitement for the new football season, which feels more normal with all hostages returned. He reflected on the pain of losing friends and soldiers during the war, some of whom were football fans who will no longer attend matches.
Horen has closely followed Hapoel Be'er Sheva’s recent Champions League qualifying matches and accompanied the team to Bucharest for a playoff game. He eagerly awaits the domestic league’s start, emphasizing how football structures his schedule and social life. His lifelong passion for football, rooted in family tradition and his birthplace near Be’er Sheva, helped him endure captivity by mentally recalling team lineups and imagining cheering in the stands.
During captivity, Horen and fellow hostages were cut off from news, learning only through a militant that Kylian Mbappé had transferred to Real Madrid. Upon release, he was initially shielded from updates about his team but soon learned with disappointment that coach Eliniv Breda had left. Returning to Turner Stadium was deeply emotional but challenging, as not all hostages had yet returned and his body was weak.
Horen has since become a well-known football supporter in Israel, receiving widespread love and support from the club, fans, and management, including owner Alona Barkat. The club showed solidarity during captivity by wearing shirts with the hostages’ images and rallying fans. Horen credits football and family for giving him perspective and strength, and he hopes for a season filled with victories, excitement, and journeys. He humorously claims credit for the helicopter’s detour over the stadium, calling others imitators.
