While the world celebrated the rescue of Noa Argamani, the return of the Israeli hostage is still tinged with sadness.
Although she returned in time to see her terminally ill mother, her boyfriend, from whom she was cruelly torn away on October 7, remains in captivity.
Now Avinatan Or’s brother has made an emotional plea to let them “dance again” as he demands a ceasefire deal to bring the 30-year-old home.
Moshe Or, 33, told the Daily Mail that he still sends WhatsApp messages to his brother’s disconnected phone as a way to stay close to him.
The father of three also revealed that he feels no resentment over the fact that Noa was freed first, saying that her freedom has given her “stronger energy” to fight.
Now Avinatan Or’s brother has made an emotional plea to let the couple (pictured together) “dance again” as he demands a ceasefire deal to bring the 30-year-old home.
This photo of Noa, with her arms outstretched towards her boyfriend as she screams for help, became one of the most recognizable images of the atrocities after it was published by The Mail on Sunday, October 8.
Her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, distraught and helpless, was also seen on video being kidnapped on October 7.
Moshe Or (pictured), 33, told the Daily Mail he still sends WhatsApp messages to his brother’s disconnected phone as a way to stay close to him.
Appealing to world leaders, Moshe said: ‘I was very happy to see Noah return home; Now is the time to bring Avinatan and the other 120 hostages back home.
“We all know that the only way to bring them all home is through an agreement, and we have to do it now. They should get back to dancing, living their lives and celebrating their love.
Noa and Avinatan met at a party while studying at Ben Gurion University in Tel Aviv and had been together for more than two years.
Moshe said she brought “young energy,” “joie de vivre” and “goofiness” to the hard-working electrical engineer. They had planned to move in together and meet his family before October 7.
That day, those images of Noa, 26, screaming ‘Don’t kill me’ while being kidnapped at the Nova music festival made headlines around the world. But she has paid little attention to the man she called.
As she was taken away on a motorcycle, the camera turned to her tall, muscular companion, forced to watch helplessly as Hamas thugs harassed him. Since then nothing has been heard from Avinatan.
Noa Argamani, then 25, was seen kidnapped on the back of a motorcycle during the horrific terrorist attacks.
Sickening footage showed the moment Hamas took Israeli hostage Noa and drove her to Gaza on the back of a motorcycle (pictured) on October 7.
A photograph taken in 2023 of Avinatan Or, who was also kidnapped at the Nova festival
Avinatan Or’s face appears on a tower displaying the faces of hostages in Israel on May 26.
Noa smiles while having a drink of coke with her father Yakov after meeting again on June 8
When Noa was rescued, her family hoped she would have some answers, but she was just as desperate for clues as they were.
While there was no sign of being devastated yet, Noa’s freedom was overwhelming for Moshe, his parents Ditza and Yaron, and his five other siblings. “We couldn’t believe it, it was amazing, it was a great miracle,” Moshe said.
He texted Noa’s father, Yaakov, and told him he would like to meet her “when she feels comfortable and ready,” before receiving a response saying, “Noa really wants to see you.”
Moshe, who lives with his wife Yael and sons Harel, Segev and Shai, said: “It was really exciting. I didn’t know what her reaction would be. Would she be happy? Or maybe she would be a little distant?”
‘But when I saw her, I felt very happy for Avinatan. I was so happy to see what an amazing woman she is.”
Three days before Moshe met Noa, his 57-year-old mother also met her. “My mother said that was very powerful and she feels a strong connection with Noa,” Moshe said.
Noa, 26, was kidnapped at the Nova music festival on October 7 and taken to Gaza.
Noa was one of 19 women still detained by the terrorist group.
While in captivity, Noa appeared in a chilling Hamas hostage video in January.
The front page of the Mail On Sunday after the October 7 attacks, with Noa’s plea: “Don’t kill me.”
‘Imagine if you fight for someone for eight months and suddenly you see them. “It’s like watching a superstar.”
Overjoyed, Moshe sent a WhatsApp to Avinatan’s disconnected number, one of dozens he sent over the past eight months and promised to keep private.
“When I have all these thoughts in my head, I send them to them via WhatsApp,” says Moshe, who lives in the Alei Zahav settlement in central Israel.
‘Beyond that, I always send him positive energy. I would like him to know that we are fighting for him.
But, most importantly, he just wants to see his brother and Noa together again. “It would be the most amazing love story.”