Hostage Survivor Expresses Gratitude to President Trump While Advocating for Remaining Hostages

On a somber Tuesday, I woke to the disheartening news that the ceasefire has ended. This ceasefire significantly contributed to my release two months ago. Coincidentally, yesterday marked my 32nd birthday, a stark contrast to my previous year, which I spent in captivity. My heartfelt wish for this birthday is the safe return of all my fellow hostages. While I was fortunate to escape, many others are still trapped, enduring suffering and torment. The time they have spent in captivity has reached 530 days, a reality we simply cannot ignore. An agreement is crucial for their release, and we need resolution immediately.

I hail from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a close-knit community where every face is familiar. On October 7, 2023, that sense of community shattered when I was forcibly taken from my home, under gunfire and dragged into Gaza. I spent 471 harrowing days underground in tunnels, facing trauma and despair that feels impossible to articulate.

Upon my release, just a day before President Trump took office, I stepped out of darkness and back into the light. I owe my freedom to the relentless efforts of many people, especially President Trump, whose determination to secure the release of hostages remains unwavering. For this, I extend my eternal gratitude.

Recently, I had the profound opportunity to meet with President Trump. During our discussion, he listened intently as I shared my harrowing experience, highlighting the urgent need to bring home those still in captivity. I made sure to mention Gali and Ziv Berman, the last two hostages from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, whose absence weighs heavily on my heart.

Gali, lived directly across from me, and Ziv was just down the path. Our small neighborhood, often referred to as the “young generation” section of the kibbutz, comprised bungalows where 37 residents in their twenties and thirties formed a close community.

Tragedy Strikes Kfar Aza

The story of our kibbutz’s young generation neighborhood paints a grim picture of the events of October 7. Of the 37 residents, 11 lost their lives that day, and seven, including Gali and Ziv, were taken captive. Today, over 520 days later, these 27-year-old twins represent the only two individuals still held. In our kibbutz, the bonds between neighbors are strong, and a deep sense of responsibility for one another exists, as we are more than just neighbors; we are family.

The Weight of Captivity

Sharing my story is an immensely difficult task. The burden of those 470 days of confinement looms over me with every uttered word. Nonetheless, I recognize the critical need to convey the brutal realities of life in captivity. I have witnessed firsthand the daily struggles endured by Gali, Ziv, and the other 57 hostages still imprisoned in Gaza. The relentless passage of time only amplifies their suffering.

Those I left behind remain etched in my memory; I carry their faces and names with me every moment. Although I am free now, they continue to endure the horrors of captivity—the darkness and fear that many cannot even begin to understand.

Standing in Solidarity

During my meeting with President Trump, I was not alone; I was accompanied by five other recently released hostages. Together, we traveled to Washington, D.C., leaving behind families we had deeply missed after the enforced separation. Some of us were still adjusting to freedom just a week after our release from Hamas’s clutches, yet we recognized the urgency of sharing our stories and the plight of those still left behind.

A Message to Leadership

To President Trump, whose compassion left a significant impact on me during our meeting, I offer my sincere thanks. Thank you for hearing our stories, for comprehending our ordeal, and for your unwavering commitment to us and the remaining hostages. Your administration has already made considerable strides in obtaining the freedom of so many, and I urge you to leverage your influence to secure the release of those still held captive—the living who await rehabilitation, as well as the deceased, whose remains must be returned to their families for dignified burials in accordance with our traditions.

The remaining 59 hostages signify more than mere numbers; they represent 59 families ensnared in an unending nightmare, each with wounds that can only begin to heal upon their loved ones’ return. Among them are fathers whose young children anxiously await their presence, young men whose aspirations have been put on hold indefinitely, and soldiers who bravely answered the call of duty on that fateful day.

A Call for Action

As someone who has escaped that living nightmare, I testify to its harsh reality and appeal to those in positions of power. President Trump has demonstrated that progress is achievable. Now, we must finish what began with my release and ensure everyone, including Gali, Ziv, and countless others, returns home.

I survived and returned home; now I advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. I fight for my kibbutz family still held in Gaza, for all those hostages remaining in underground tunnels, suffering through starvation and abuse. We will not rest until every last hostage is accounted for. My true freedom will finally be realized when all 59 remaining hostages are home with us.

Until that day arrives, I will continue sharing my painful narrative and carry their voices alongside my own. I implore you, Mr. President, help us rescue them from this living hell.