Hostage's Ex-Boyfriend Recounts Ordeal in Gaza After October 7 Attack

On the third anniversary of the October 7 attack, Avinatan Or, the ex-boyfriend of hostage Noa Argamani, has shared his harrowing experience of captivity in Gaza. The widely circulated images of Argamani being taken from the Nova music festival by militants became a symbol of the attack that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken.

Or recounted how he and Argamani, then his girlfriend, fled the festival when the attacks began. After their car came under fire, they hid in a ditch for approximately two hours before being discovered by militants. Or described hearing Argamani scream and attempting to help her escape, but they were surrounded. He watched as Argamani was placed on the back of a motorcycle and driven away towards Gaza, reaching for him as she went.

"In that situation, I know that there's nothing I can do because I'm surrounded by maybe 25 people," Or stated, referring to the footage of his own capture. He was then subjected to a mob assault, struck with a wooden plank and beaten before an armed Hamas terrorist intervened and dispersed the group. He was subsequently taken into Gaza.

Captivity and Deception

Or spent 738 days in captivity, much of it in isolation underground. He stated that early in his captivity, he inquired about Argamani, and was eventually told by a captor that she had been released. Believing this, Or stated that for him, she was already home. However, this was a deception; Argamani was not released until much later in the war, during an operation that resulted in the death of an Israeli soldier.

His confinement in tunnels meant he could not stand upright, leading to spinal curvature. He described rationing food, which was provided only every four days, and attempting to maintain his mental clarity by counting everything around him and listening to his captors to learn Arabic. He also described building a relationship with some of his guards while facing one commander who intensely disliked Israelis.

Daring Escape Attempt

After approximately four months, Or decided to attempt an escape. He discovered a potential passage behind a wall of sandbags and began digging with collected objects and later a stolen pickaxe. He described spending roughly three months digging towards the surface, eventually reaching the ruins of a collapsed house and seeing the sky. However, his escape attempt was discovered when a captor arrived with food. He was subsequently tortured, with his hands tied and hung from the ceiling, and sleep-deprived.

Or attributed his survival to his life experiences, including his service in an elite desert commando unit.

A Moment of Faith

During his captivity, on his 79th day underground, Or felt compelled to pray after seven years of not speaking to God. He recalled praying for divine intervention amidst falling bombs. Hours later, a bomb struck the tunnel, causing it to collapse. While trying to escape the wreckage, the tunnel collapsed again, trapping him. He recounted being pulled free by two terrorists just moments before the section he had been in collapsed, an event he described as a miracle.

Release and Warning

Or was eventually freed as part of a hostage release agreement. He stated that shortly before his release, a Hamas commander warned him to leave Israel, suggesting that Hamas would repeat the October 7 attacks as long as Israel existed.

Following his release, Or found that his relationship with Argamani had not survived their ordeal. He noted that people change after two years apart.

The terrorist identified as driving Argamani away on the motorcycle was later killed in an airstrike. Or commented on this, stating, "We Jewish people do not celebrate the death of people, but I am glad there's one less terrorist left in the world."