Watching the release, Cohen’s family and friends in Israel chanted “Eliya, Eliya, Eliya!” and cheered when they saw him for the first time. Shem Tov’s grandmother exclaimed in joy as he saw him, crying: “Omer, my joy, my life.”

The release follows the return of hostage Shiri Bibas' remains, after the wrong body was initially handed over Hamas freed six Israeli hostages on Saturday, with hundreds of Palestinian prisoners expected to be released in exchange under a fragile Gaza truce that is nearing the end of its first phase.