Who is Ofer Kalderon, the French-Israeli citizen to be released from Hamas captivity Saturday?

The father of four is expected to return home to his four children - two of whom are former hostages.

By DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD, ABIGAIL RUBINSTEIN JANUARY 31, 2025 16:23 Updated: JANUARY 31, 2025 16:24

Ofer Kalderon (photo credit: Bring Them Home Now)

Ofer Kalderon, a 54-year-old French-Israeli citizen and a father of four, has spent the last 15 months in Hamas captivity - after being abducted from his family home on Kibbutz Nir Oz alongside two of his children. 

Now, after spending two birthdays in Gaza, Ofer is expected to return to Israel on Saturday as part of the first phase of a new hostage-ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

Ofer’s children Sahar, then 16, and Erez, then 12, were released as part of the November deal with Hamas. 

As Sahar was taken from him in the hours before her release, which fell on his 53rd birthday, Ofer told her “Fight for me, I don't want to die in the tunnels,” according to Ynet. 

His family, including his American cousins, have repeatedly called for his release, according to NBC News. Cousin Jason Greenberg said in October that released hostages said Ofer was looking malnourished and had sustained injuries to his arm.

Erez Kalderon. (credit: No credit)

Ofer's brother Nissan found his brother's abduction particularly difficult and reported thinking about suicide as a result.

Freed hostage Adina Moshe reported seeing Ofer and Yarden Bibas confined behind bars in tunnels running underneath Gaza, according to Israel Hayom.

Who is Ofer?

Ofer, a carpenter by trade, was described by his loved ones as a doting father and family man. When not at work or spending time with his family, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said that he enjoyed cycling, hiking, and flying model airplanes. 

"Ofer is a very warm, very homely type," Ofer's cousin, Eyal Kalderon, told Ynet in November. "He is a very present father, and this is not a cliché. He has four amazing children and he is present in the lives of each and every one of them.”

Eyal added that released hostage Shani Goren had seen Ofer while being held in Gaza, and Ofer prepared food for her from the little rations he had available at the time. 

---

---

On October 7, when Hamas invaded southern Israel and massacred some 1200 people, Ofer was hiding in his shelter along with Sahar and Erez. The three initially escaped capture by climbing through the shelter’s window, although they were later caught.

Two relatives of Kalderon were killed that day, niece Noya Dan and grandmother Camela Dan - although their bodies were not discovered for 12 days after the attack. 

Noya Dan, a 12-year-old girl on the Autism spectrum, became wildly known for her love of Harry Potter. Her favorite author, J.K. Rowling, brought international attention to the young girl when it was still believed she was a captive.