Merav Gilboa-Dalal received a gut-wrenching sign of life from her son Guy, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since his abduction during the October 7 massacre. He and his friend Evyatar David were brought out by their captors to watch other hostages being released. A clip of the two was later posted online.
The only previous information about his condition came last June when the IDF reported indications that he was alive. But after the rescue of four hostages that month, he was taken back into the tunnels, and there has been no news since.
Merav is recovering from open-heart surgery. "I've never had heart problems before," she says. "I went from being a hyperactive woman to feeling like an old lady. My life was taken from me, and it manifests in my physical state."
Guy and Evyatar have been best friends since childhood. They hid together at the Nova festival when the massacre began. They were discovered by the terrorists together and abducted to Gaza together.
Hamas posts clip of Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Eviatar David being forced to watch hostages being released
Do you think Guy knows that you are all fighting for his release?
"From what I understand from returned hostages, Guy is cut off from media reports, but I believe in his heart, he knows we are fighting for him. He knows we would never give up on him."
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Did seeing him alive in the Hamas clip give you any relief?
"Not really. As his mother, I can see every nuance. He knows he is being filmed and is putting on an act to keep us from worrying. I saw the pain and longing in his eyes. He was very thin. The worst part was seeing that they just repeated the same sentences, unable to verbalize more. It indicates the serious cognitive state they are in."
What do you know about how he is being held?
"He's in a crowded tunnel with mold and no air. There is no sunlight, no light at all. He is starved and kept in chains most of the time. I hope he and Evyatar are together. They are like twins. They've always looked out for each other."
Do you believe the government is doing enough to get him out?
"There are so many interests involved that I cannot understand, but I will not lose hope. I have to trust they will bring my son back—otherwise, I am doomed. In the end, it is in the hands of decision-makers to secure the hostages' release. So, I worry and pray. It is all so fragile. I call on all Israelis to come out and support the hostages’ families. Don’t let us feel like we are alone."