Gadi Mozes, 80, maintained a morning walking routine and kept a journal, while the IDF lookouts refrained from eating leavened food on Passover and fasted on Yom Kippur. Keith Siegel, a vegetarian, was forced to eat meat due to food shortages. Yarden Bibas and Ofer Calderon were held in cages during their first days in captivity, while Emily Damari, after being shot twice, was transferred to a UNRWA facility without medical care.
These are some of the first testimonies emerging after the release of 13 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals, who spent over 15 months in Hamas captivity.
Siegel was held in Gaza City for 484 days, frequently moved between safe houses and tunnels. Terrorists locked him in separate rooms to prevent him from being found if anyone entered. According to reports by public broadcaster Kan, Siegel initially believed his son, Shai, had been killed, until he heard his voice on the radio and realized he had survived. He described the severe food shortages, recounting that he had to eat meat despite being vegetarian and that his last meal was a full day before his release.
Bibas and Calderon, who were violently abducted, were reportedly held in cages together in their first days in captivity. Terrorists mistakenly assumed Calderon was an IDF reservist, which is why he was released in a military uniform.
Both men were kept in tunnels and various buildings alongside other hostages, enduring psychological terror. One of the most harrowing moments was the brutal video in which Bibas was filmed after being falsely told that his wife, Shiri, and their sons, Ariel and Kfir, had died—an assertion that Israeli authorities have been unable to confirm or refute.
Eyal Calderon, who has yet to reunite with his cousin Ofer, said he learned from Ofer’s children that, until a few weeks ago, Ofer did not know his son Rotem was alive. "He was in a state of complete uncertainty, and then he found out through a media interview that his son had survived," he said. "What he endured is unimaginable. There’s still a long road ahead—his recovery will be long, with ups and downs."
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Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas showcase release certificates in Hamas propaganda video
Jimmy Pacheco, the caregiver of Amitai Ben-Tzvi, who was murdered on October 7, was kidnapped and later released in a previous deal. He had previously recounted being held in tunnels with Bibas and Calderon, developing a close bond with them. "When I cried, they comforted me and assured me that the Israeli government was helping. We sang together, we laughed and I even taught Yarden my language," he told Army Radio.
Isolation, faith and forced labor
Newly released hostages are sharing harrowing accounts of their time in Hamas captivity, detailing extreme isolation, forced labor and the small routines that helped them survive.
Gadi Mozes, 80, structured his days in captivity to maintain both his physical and mental well-being. He walked in circles, counting tiles to track his distance, and solved math problems to stay mentally sharp. For most of his 484 days in captivity, he was alone. The first hostage he met was 29-year-old Arbel Yehoud, just before her release.
Mozes, who speaks Arabic, used his language skills to communicate with his captors, who eventually provided him with English books. He kept a daily journal, writing a few lines each day, though it was confiscated before his release. He had limited access to outside information, but glimpses of his family on TV reassured him that they were fighting for his freedom. When asked what kept him going, he said the thought of reuniting with his loved ones was his main motivation, though he also experienced moments of betrayal, wondering why he and the others were still in captivity.
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Mozes and Arbel Yehoud reunite in Gaza captivity
(Photo: Islamic Jihad Armed Wing, Reuters)
Arbel Yehoud spent nearly 16 months in total isolation, unaware of the full extent of the October 7 attack on her kibbutz, Nir Oz, where one in four residents was either killed or kidnapped. Mozes was the first Israeli she encountered in captivity, meeting him just hours before she was freed. After her release, her father, Yechiel, said, "She returned in relatively good health, considering the hell she endured. She survived heroically until the very last moment."
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The IDF lookouts who were taken hostage on October 7 spent their 477 days in captivity in both apartments and tunnels, some held together, others alone. Naama Levy was kept in isolation for a long period before being reunited with fellow captives Daniella Gilboa and Karina Ariev, who had known each other from their service on base. Despite strict prohibitions against physical contact or crying, they found ways to support each other, exercised despite the extreme conditions and food shortages, and were often forced to cook, clean and care for the children of their captors.
The hostages tried to preserve their identities and faith even under duress. They refused to eat leavened bread during Passover, attempted to fast on Yom Kippur, and Agam Berger, the last lookout to be released, even observed the Sabbath.
Liri Albag, another captive, relied on her charisma to navigate captivity and managed to avoid being held in tunnels for most of her time in Gaza. The two were separated shortly before their release, with Albag taken to film a propaganda video while Berger remained alone. As she was freed, Berger said, "I chose the path of faith, and in faith, I returned."
Naama Levy, who was freed in an earlier exchange, was initially held alone for a long time before being reunited with her fellow hostages. When they finally met, she asked if the moment was real and whether they were still alive. Many of the lookouts recounted being forced to perform household chores for their captors.
In an interview with Kol BaRama radio, Yafa Deri, who met with the released soldiers, said they had fasted on Yom Kippur and observed Passover customs, with Daniella even requesting traditional sfenj (North African doughnuts) for Mimouna at the end of the holiday. "There were bombings, and they had to move from place to place, so there were no sfenj, but they are so sweet and knew their role, which is incredible," she said.
She added that Agam Berger refused to accept a Quran from her captors and instead prayed from a Hebrew prayer book she found, possibly left behind by Israeli soldiers.
Mandy Damari, mother of Emily Damari, who was freed after 471 days in Hamas captivity, revealed that her daughter was held in facilities operated by UNRWA.
"Hamas held Emily in UNRWA facilities and denied her access to medical treatment after she was shot twice," she said. "It’s a miracle she’s alive."
Emily was released during the first phase of the current hostage deal alongside Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher. She was seen pushing a Hamas terrorist out of the vehicle that brought her to the Red Cross transfer point. Due to her injuries, two of her fingers had to be amputated.
Eitan Gonen, father of Romi, told Ynet that the freed hostages supported each other in captivity. "Romi needed permission from the terrorists for everything, even just to move right or left," he said.
He described the deep bond formed between Romi, Emily and Doron, who were held together. "They were each other’s entire world in captivity. They talked, helped and took care of one another—like a mother, a father, a sister. Now that they’re back, they do everything together. They go out to eat, visit each other’s rooms and are inseparable. I look at them and see three superheroes."
In a video message played at a rally for the hostages in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square, Doron said, "I’m okay. The moment I can, I’ll be out there holding a sign," signaling her commitment to continuing the fight to bring the remaining hostages home.
Over the weekend, five Thai nationals abducted by Hamas on October 7 were also released in Khan Younis as part of a separate deal brokered by the Thai government. It remains unclear whether any concessions were made for their release.
The freed hostages—Sathian Suwannakham, 34; Pongsak Thenna, 35; Bannawat Seathao, 27; Watchara Sriaoun, 32; and Surasak Lamnau, 30—spoke of prolonged periods of hunger, difficulty breathing in underground tunnels and being held in dark rooms. They were kept in two separate groups, with two in one location and three in another. During their captivity, they learned to communicate in Arabic with their captors.
Despite the harsh conditions, their medical condition was reported as stable upon release. One more Thai hostage remains in captivity, along with a Nepalese citizen. Two Thai nationals and one Tanzanian citizen are believed to have been killed in captivity.