Freed Hostage Eli Sharabi Shares Harrowing Details of Hamas Captivity

In a powerful and emotional interview with Channel 12’s Uvda program, recently freed hostage Eli Sharabi opened up about his 491 days in Hamas captivity. His story, marked by unimaginable hardship and unwavering strength, offers a glimpse into the brutal conditions endured by hostages held in Gaza’s fortified tunnel network.

Sharabi, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7, shared that Hamas’s underground tunnels were so well-constructed that any military operation to rescue hostages alive would have been nearly impossible. His ordeal began with a near-lynching by an angry crowd upon arrival in Gaza, followed by 52 days in a small apartment before being moved into a tunnel where he remained until his release.

During his captivity, Sharabi met fellow hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, and Almog Sarusi. Despite only spending three days together, Sharabi described an immediate and profound bond with them. He initially believed they were being released when taken away by their captors, only to learn after his own release that they had been murdered at the end of August.

Sharabi also recounted the harrowing moments of his abduction, vividly remembering how his wife Leanne and daughters Noya and Yahel were separated from him. “The scene was simply horrific, a fear unlike anything else. Ten terrorists in the house—two grab me, two grab the girls and stand with them in the kitchen. All the while, Leanne keeps telling them, ‘British passport,’ thinking it would protect them," he recalled.

The pain of losing his entire family only became clear after his release. “I just hope they didn’t suffer,” he said, his voice filled with grief and love.

Adding to his heartbreak, Sharabi learned that his brother Yossi, who lived nearby, had also been kidnapped and killed. His captors, who seemed eager to inflict psychological torment, showed him a picture of Yossi and claimed the Israeli Air Force had killed him. It was only when a fellow captive, Ohad Ben Ami, confirmed the truth that the full weight of his loss hit him.

The conditions in Hamas’s tunnels were horrific. “You’re 50 meters underground. The sanitary conditions are simply terrible. You shower once a month with a bottle of water, maybe half a bucket of cold water. The chains on my legs never left me... with thick, heavy locks that tore into my flesh,” Sharabi recounted.

Survival in the tunnels hinged on enduring starvation and brutality. “You don’t care about the beatings, even when they break your ribs. I didn’t care just give me half a pita,” he shared. At times, his food rations amounted to a mere 250-300 calories a day.

Sharabi also emphasized how statements by Israeli leaders influenced the hostages’ treatment. “The terrorists listen to them all the time. They would come to us and say, ‘Your government isn’t feeding our prisoners, so you won’t eat either. They beat our prisoners, so we will beat you.’”

Despite the trauma, Sharabi’s perspective is marked by a profound sense of gratitude. “I’m not angry. I’m lucky. Lucky that I had Leanne for 30 years. Lucky that I had those amazing daughters for so many years. Lucky that they didn’t kill me. Lucky that after 16 months, I was able to come back to my family. I’m lucky.”

Eli Sharabi’s story is a testament to human resilience and the enduring spirit of the Israeli people. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for updates to honor his strength and to remember the many lives still impacted by terrorism.