Omer Wenkert

Omer Wenkert, 22, was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists during their attack on the Nova music festival on October 7. The attack on the festival resulted in the deaths of approximately 360 people, and Omer was among the at least 40 individuals abducted by the terrorists.

Omer had been in communication with his parents that morning as the situation developed. His parents' last contact with him was at 7:50 a.m. As the events unfolded, his parents desperately searched for information, scouring social media and reaching out to friends in an attempt to understand what had happened to their son.

At 11:11 a.m., Omer's parents received a video from Hamas showing Omer tied up on the flatbed of a white pickup truck, wearing only his underwear, confirming that he had been taken hostage in Gaza.

Omer is described as vibrant and social, with a wide circle of friends. He has a younger brother, Ran, aged 18, and a sister, Maya, aged 13. His grandmother, Tsili Wenkert, is a Holocaust survivor who was liberated by the Russian Red Army on the way to Auschwitz. Prior to his abduction, Omer worked as a restaurant manager and had aspirations of becoming a restaurant critic.