Four now-freed Israeli hostages spoke with NBC News about their captivity nearly one year after Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack.
Ilana Gritzewsky, Agam Goldstein-Almog, Moran Stela Yanai and Aviva Siegel were all freed from Hamas after weeks of captivity, according to NBC News’ documentary “Freed: One Year Later.” Hamas took over 240 people hostage on October 7, 2023 and killed at least 1,200 during their attack on Israel.
Gritzewsky spent 55 days in captivity after being captured in the small Israeli community of kibbutz Nir Oz near the Gaza border, according to NBC. She harnesses guilt for being one of more than 100 people freed while more remain captive, including her boyfriend, 24-year-old Matan Zangauker.
“Why can I hug my mom and they can’t,” Gritzewsky told NBC. “Why I can talk whenever I want and they can’t. Why should I feel that I’m free if they’re not?”
Gritzewsky was freed during a November exchange that freed 50 Israeli hostages in return for 150 Palestinian prisoners. Subsequent rescue operations, including surprise raids into Gaza, have resulted in the return of several more hostages and the recovery of the bodies of others.
“Everything happened so quickly,” 18-year-old Goldstein-Almog, who was taken captive with her mother and two brothers, told NBC. “From a normal, good and safe life, I suddenly found myself in a tunnel in Gaza.”
Goldstein-Almog’s father, Nadav Goldstein, and sister, Staff Sgt. Yam Goldstein-Almog, an off-duty Israeli soldier, were killed in their kibbutz Kfar Aza home during the invasion, according to NBC.
Stela Yanai was captured by Hamas in the early morning during the Supernova music festival when she attempted to scream for help, she told NBC. She spent 54 days in captivity.
“I called to the army and then the wrong group heard me,” Yanai told NBC.
Yanai said she hardly recognized herself when she was finally freed.
“I saw my face maybe twice during the entire captivity,” she said, according to NBC. “And I didn’t recognize myself for a second. I had a different look in my eyes, but I was really proud of myself that I managed to survive this whole experience.”
Current ceasefire negotiations have yet to come to fruition as Israel remains unwilling to cede to Hamas’ demand for full removal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and an agreement has not been made on an exact number of hostages to release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Though Siegel was released during the November prisoner exchange, her husband, Keith, remains captive, NBC reported. Siegel still holds out hope that he will be retuned.
“Who will scream for Keith?” Siegel said, according to NBC. “Who will scream for the hostages to come back? I’m going to keep strong and I’m going to scream as loud as I can.”
Gritzewsky said the experience shaped the way she lives now, no longer able enjoy the activities she did before the kidnapping.
“I don’t bake anymore, which is my profession. I can’t handle it right now,” she told NBC.
Almog told the outlet she feels “it’s not possible” to recover until all the hostages are released.
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