‘Remember the hostages,’ appeals Moshe Lavi – brother-in-law of Hamas captive Omri Miran – to NRB delegates

Lavi: ‘We won’t stop until Omri and all the hostages return’

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Visitors to the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) International Convention in Nashville, Tennessee this week had the opportunity to listen to testimonies from family members of Hamas hostages in Gaza.

In cooperation with the Israeli consulate and The Israel Guys, NRB delegates were able to take a tour through an exhibit about the events of Oct. 7, including a room where family members of two hostages were available to speak directly to the delegates about their loved ones captivity by Hamas in Gaza.

Moshe Lavi spoke to ALL ISRAEL NEWS about his brother-in-law, Omri Miran.

Omri Miran, 46, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Oz, leaving behind his wife, Lishay, 38, and two small daughters Roni and Alma.

On Oct. 7, both parents were woken up by air raid sirens and immediately brought the girls into the safe room. As the morning progressed, Omri and Lishay realized that a significant attack was taking place. Neither of them was able to charge their cell phones and lost contact with other family members after their batteries died.

Around 10:30 a.m., terrorists kicked in the window of their bathroom and entered the house. Omri and Lishay tried to keep their daughters quiet in the safe room but the terrorists began yelling and brought a 16-year-old neighbor, Tomer Arbe-Eliaz, who begged them to open the door, or else the terrorists would hurt him.

The terrorists took the family to the neighbor’s house, whose 18-year-old daughter had been killed by the terrorists in the safe room.

Later in the afternoon, the terrorists took Omri and the father of the other family, along with the car keys, to their vehicles. Omri and the neighbor were forced to drive into Gaza with the terrorists in their own cars.

Lishay told her husband before he left: “I love you, I’ll protect our girls, we’re waiting for you, and don’t be a hero.”

Around 5:30 p.m., a group of IDF soldiers discovered the two families still waiting in the house.

Since then, Omri’s family has been speaking out on his behalf and Moshe Lavi shared information about his brother-in-law.

“He's a shiatsu therapist and a gardener in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. So he would heal people during the evenings in his clinic and during the day he would heal plants in the kibbutz.”

Lavi went to the NRB convention to speak to delegates about the welfare of their loved ones still in Hamas captivity.

He said there is a sense of urgency among the hostage families that the hostages need to be released soon or their lives are in danger.

David Miran, the father of Omri Miran who is held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza, stands near a Shabbat table with empty seats for the hostages, at the "Hostages Square," outside the Art Museum of Tel Aviv, Oct. 20, 2023. (Photo: Gili Yaari /Flash90)

The family received confirmation that Omri was still alive back in November, during the first hostage release deal. However, they have not received any news about him since then.

“I think it’s important to put a story to the faces of the hostages, to put a story to the term 'hostage,' to humanize them as much as possible,” Lavi said.

“He’s a very spiritual person,” Lavi said. “Connected to nature, connected to his family, his father and siblings, and connected to us, in ways I cannot describe really because the connection is so strong.”