The hollow eyes and tortured after almost 500 days in captivity in Gaza, Eli Sharabi stood on a podium designed for masked Hamas attackers, unaware of what most Israelis already knew.
During Hamas’ attack October 7, 2023. A dozen armed attackers broke out at Mr. Sharabbi’s house in the border community Kibbutz Be’eri, where he hid in a safe room with his wife and two teenage daughters. Hoping to save them, he said that he had given up without a fight and taken to Gaza.
After leaving Hamas’ tunnels last month, he would soon find out that his wife Lianne, 48, and his daughters – Noiya, 16, and Yahel, was killed and killed that day in a family home, along with a family dog, Moha.
One of his brothers, Yossi, who is also abducted from Be’eri, died in Gaza after 100 days in captivity.
Mr. Sharabi and a few other published hostages flew to the United States on Monday to meet with administration officials this week, including a potential audience with President Trump.
Mr. Sharabbi’s mother and three remaining brothers and sisters rejoice his return to February 8Part of the truce that includes hostage exchange for Palestinian prisoners. But they said that they had been agonized before, not knowing if he was aware of his family’s fate or to convey the news to him.
Forced by his kidnappers to speak while broadcasting live at his handover ceremony, Mr. Sharabi said he was happy to return to his wife and daughter. His surviving brother Sharon Sharabi told the New York Times shortly after releasing that his brother’s kidnappers had told him that his family was waiting.
