In an for the “Children of October 7” social media project, 13-year-old Eitan Yahalomi from Kibbutz Nir Oz recounted his traumatic experience of being held captive by Hamas terrorists in Gaza. The French-Israeli survivor, who was released in November as part of a prisoner exchange deal, shared details of the physical abuse, starvation, and psychological torment he endured during his captivity.

Yahalomi was kidnapped from his home during the deadly Hamas attack on October 7. His father, Ohad, was shot during the abduction and remains in captivity. Meanwhile, Yahalomi’s mother, Batsheva, and younger sister, Yael, narrowly escaped being kidnapped.

Describing the violence upon his arrival in Gaza, Yahalomi recalled, “When we arrived in Gaza, many people beat us. We heard gunshots and shouting in Arabic. They were waiting for us. They were civilians.”

When asked if he had been scared, Yahalomi responded, “A bit, to be honest.”

Throughout his time in captivity, Yahalomi faced constant hunger and malnourishment. “My daily ration was a pita and a cucumber,” he said, detailing the minimal food he was given. He also spoke of being forced to watch disturbing footage. “They showed me videos of them killing people. They seemed happy about it,” he recounted. Despite trying to shield himself from the horrors, he explained, “No, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, he wouldn’t have allowed it. I saw even worse things. These images are constantly in my mind.”

Yahalomi candidly shared how these experiences continue to haunt him, adding, “Not much. I’ve been through the worst, and that’s that,” when asked about his ability to sleep at night.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)