**Omri Miran Returns to Israel After 737 Days in 23 Locations, Both Above Ground and in Dark Tunnels**
Published on October 14, 2025 • 3-minute read
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Dani Miran, pictured here with a white beard, endured over two years waiting for his son to be released by Hamas following the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Photo by Kari Hollend.
Dani Miran stopped shaving when his son Omri was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023. As far as I know, he hasn’t shaved since, but he could now.
That’s because his son was finally freed over the weekend after 737 days spent in 23 different locations, both above ground and in filthy, dark tunnels.
I interviewed Dani, who is 80 years old, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. While he was bald on top, his beard was impressively white and full, reminiscent of Santa Claus. Unlike Santa, however, Dani understandably wore a somber expression.
The sun was blazing, so we took refuge in a tent at Hostages Square, located across from the IDF headquarters. Other family members and friends of hostages gathered around, listening intently as Dani spoke about his son, the other hostages, and Israel. They nodded in agreement as he shared his thoughts.
“I’m not here for anyone or anything else,” Dani stated. “I’m here for my son.” He glanced around and added, “I want the whole world to know my son, to remember him. And I want my son back.”
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Two years ago, Omri Miran lived with his family—wife Lishay and their two young daughters—at kibbutz Nahal Oz in southern Israel, near the Gaza border. On that tragic morning, Hamas terrorists forced the family to unlock a door by threatening to shoot a 16-year-old neighbor. As Omri was taken away, Lishay told him, “Don’t be a hero. I love you, and I’ll take care of the girls. I’ll wait for you.”
She, along with Dani, did just that. For two years, they tirelessly advocated for Omri and the other hostages, urging Israelis and the world to remember them. At a press conference outside their home, they spoke directly to Omri, telling him that his daughters loved him, that they all loved him, and to “just come back.”