Brother of Freed Hostage Matan Angrest Enlists in the IDF
Ofir Angrest, whose brother Matan survived captivity in Gaza, enlisted in the IDF on Tuesday. The family marked the milestone with mixed emotions, recalling the arduous campaign for Matan's release.
Almost a year after Matan Angrest returned from captivity, and two years after Anat and Chagai accompanied their daughter Adi to her military enlistment, the family gathered on Tuesday to send off their son Ofir to the IDF's induction center - this time as a complete family. "We prayed that we would be privileged to accompany Ofir with Matan by his side," the mother said. Ofir Angrest, the younger brother of Matan, who previously led the public campaign for his release while still in high school, enlisted on Tuesday for classified and meaningful military service.
A Family Milestone and lingering Trauma
"Ofir is our third child whom we proudly enlist to serve the country we were raised in and educated to protect," Anat said. "Two years ago with Adi, we stood in the same position with broken hearts, praying we would see this day with Matan home." In an Instagram post, Anat wrote: "Two years ago, we enlisted Adi with immense pain. Matan had been missing for 10 months. We so hoped it would be different for you, and today it is happening. We cannot stop our tears." Despite the joy, the enlistment stirs up the fears and triggers of the past two years.
"There are fears and triggers. It has not even been a year since Matan returned, and spending another night with an empty bed is not easy," Anat shared. "But this is normal worry, like any mother sending a child to the army. It is nothing like the terror of a child suffering in immediate life-threatening danger."
Reunited and Ready
Ofir was only 15 when Matan was abducted near the Nahal Oz base on October 7, 2023. Matan served in the tank crew of the late Captain Daniel Perez. He was the sole survivor from his tank crew, enduring harrowing conditions before his release in October 2025. Now, the brothers are reunited, and Ofir steps forward to serve the nation that fought for his brother's freedom.
