How many minutes are in a day? 1,440. Multiply that by 53 days. Each minute feels like an eternity.
On Oct. 7, I was kidnapped, along with my partner, Yaya [Yair Yaakov], from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Yaya’s children, Yagil and Or, were also abducted. For 53 days, I was held captive by Hamas in Gaza until I was finally released on November 28, 2023. My son had been born on November 28, and I had told everyone there: ‘I will return [home] on my son’s birthday’ – and so it happened.
The night before what has come to be known as the Black Sabbath [referring to the horrific attacks on Oct. 7, 2023], we celebrated Yaya’s 59th birthday with the children. The following day, we woke to the sound of alarms.
When the terrorists broke in, Yaya braced the door, but they shot through it, wounding him. Then they placed an explosive device on the door and blew it open. I told him, ‘I love you,’ just before we were torn apart.
They dragged me outside with a knife pressed to my throat and threw me onto a motorcycle. Later, they transferred me to a vehicle where I met Ada Sagi, who was with me throughout the ordeal.
On the 50th day, Yagil was unexpectedly brought to us. He suddenly screamed, ‘Mayo, Mayo!’ and I broke down. We embraced, and I gave him my sleeping spot. We spent the whole night looking at each other. The next day, he was released.
I constantly imagined my return, picturing soldiers coming to rescue me – two brave combat soldiers who would pull me out and bring me back to reality. I didn’t know what had happened to Yaya; I only knew he was wounded, and I feared for him constantly.
During captivity, I imagined that once I returned to Israel, I would begin to heal, but it hasn’t been that simple. Recovery is hard, and it’s taking much longer than I anticipated. On February 15, we were informed that Yaya had been murdered and that his body was still being held in Gaza. They told us he had been killed on Oct. 7. As I write this, it’s now been 310 days, and he is still there.
Release the hostages now
All the hostages must be released immediately. I don’t understand how they can still be held captive. We were tortured during our captivity, and the families here in Israel continue to suffer.
For 310 days, these families haven’t seen or hugged their loved ones. There are still children, women, and elderly adults alive in Gaza who need to be brought home now. Every day in captivity is a living hell.
With each passing day, we hear of more hostages who have been murdered in captivity, lives that could have been saved.
I implore the Israeli government to do the right thing – sign a deal and bring them home. They don’t have time. As a country and as a society, we cannot begin to heal while they remain in captivity.
A deal is on the table. Every day that I was held, I prayed that someone would rescue me.
You now have the chance to rescue them. What are you waiting for?