An Israeli woman who spent 54 days in Hamas captivity has celebrated the first anniversary of her freedom with an engagement to her childhood friend. Mia Schem, who became a prominent voice for the release of hostages after her ordeal, shared the news on November 28 after 24-year-old Yinon Hassan proposed to her in Caesarea, a picturesque coastal city.

Hassan, who began his relationship with Schem after her release during the first wave of hostage takings last November, proposed by getting down on one knee and asking for her hand in marriage, according to The Jerusalem Post. Schem posted their photos to celebrate the engagement, showing off her ring and sharing a kiss.

Her post received a lot of support from the public, with Israeli restaurants even offering to host or cater for her upcoming bachelorette party.

Speculation about their engagement began in August 2024 when Schem took part in a fashion campaign for an Israeli designer, presenting a wedding dress and proudly showing the scars from the October 7, 2023 attack. The former hostage was one of those captured during the raid on the Tribe of Nova music festival. She also had a gunshot wound to her arm.

Schem featured prominently in early Hamas propaganda videos, where she was forced to praise the three-hour operation her captors performed on her. She later opened up about the excruciating pain of her injury, revealing that her captors had made no attempt to ease her suffering. She was also locked in a cage for days and subjected to cruel taunts, including watching news reports of her mother pleading for her safe return.

Since her release, Schem has become a strong supporter of the hostages still held in Gaza, calling for greater awareness and action. During a recent visit to New York, she explained the purpose behind her plea.

“I have to fight for the rest of the hostages – this is my life. I feel like I have a mission: to speak, to tell the world my story, for the other hostages who cannot. And to be the voice for the girls who are still out there,” she told The New York Post earlier in November.