In a recent interview, released Israeli captive Liat Beinin Atzili shared her experience of captivity in Gaza, emphasizing the importance of communication with Hamas members to survive. Atzili was taken captive by Hamas on 7 October from her home in Nir Oz kibbutz, where she lived with her partner and father of their three children.
During her time in captivity, Atzili engaged in long conversations with her captors, discussing family, life, and even the Holocaust. Despite initial fear, Atzili eventually realized that Hamas did not intend to harm them and were waiting for a deal to happen.
Atzili and another woman from Nir Oz were well fed and treated relatively humanely by their guards, who even accommodated a vegetarian diet. Before being released in November as part of a truce between Israel and Hamas, they were moved to Nasser Hospital along with other captives.
Atzili met with US President Biden and remains committed to peace, although critical of her government’s handling of the hostage situation. She acknowledged the disparity in support received compared to political leaders.