Eli Sharabi was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 , 2023 and held captive for 491 days. Photo: Blake Ezra
On October 7th 2023, Eli Sharabi was kidnapped by Hamas and held for 491 days. He and his wife and two daughters were in their home on a kibbutz in Southern Israel when the attack happened.
His next 14 months were spent mostly in Hamas tunnels under Gaza - with often cruel, but occasionally kind captors, little food, no sunlight - and most importantly no knowledge that his British wife and teenage daughters had been killed the day he was taken.
It was only after his release in February that he learned that terrible news, and that his brother had also died captive in Gaza.
Despite this horrendous ordeal, Eli Sharabi regards himself as lucky and says he does not hate his captors.
He is the first released Israeli hostage to write a book about his experience. He shares his story with Kathryn Ryan. Hostage is published by Allen & Unwin.
Palestinian Hamas fighters escort Israeli hostages (L-R) Ohad Ben Ami, Or Levy and Eli Sharabi on a stage before handing them over to a Red Cross team in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, on 8 February 2025. Photo: Abdel Kareem Hana / AP via CNN
