Former Gaza hostage Eli Sharabi reflects on Independence Day, family loss

Eli Sharabi, who survived Hamas captivity, shares his emotional journey after the October 7 massacre, revealing how Independence Day now holds deeper meaning as he honors his murdered family.

Former Gaza hostage Eli Sharabi on Wednesday told Maariv that he particularly misses his family on Independence Day, as it was the family’s collective holiday where they all gathered.

His wife, Lian, and daughters Noya and Yahel were murdered in their home during the October 7 massacre. His brother, Yossi, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and later murdered in captivity in the Gaza Strip.

“Independence Day was our holiday. Everyone used to gather at our lawn on the kibbutz,” Sharabi said. “We would do a barbecue, laugh, and enjoy being together. The girls loved every moment of it.”

“This year, like last year, we will probably gather at my sister’s house, and there will be love and joy. We do not let ourselves be in constant sorrow, only at certain moments. We learn to embrace the happy moments just like the sad ones,” he added.

“The meaning of Independence Day has changed for all of us after October 7. Everything is much more powerful. We are still fighting for our independence, for our home,” he continued.

“In the last two years, people have felt more than ever that the ground is slipping from under their feet. People have experienced turmoil and loss of personal security. Today, I know how to appreciate much more freedom and other basic things. I know what real hunger feels like, and not how you feel when someone typically says ‘I’m starving’ after not eating for four or five hours. I know how to appreciate that I have toothpaste, hot water in the shower, that I do not have to eat moldy pita and beg to burn it on the gas so I do not taste the mold,” he continued.

He told Maariv that he is “living a happy life,” and enjoys the days when he is at home, starting his mornings with a walk on the beach, continuing with a workout, and preparing a small meal for himself, commemorating his murdered relatives, meeting childhood friends for a drink, and “cracking up laughing with them,” before returning home to sleep.

He still finds himself thankful for the hot water and soap in every shower, for not having to ask permission to use the bathroom, for the ability to go to the supermarket and buy food for himself, and for the right to live.

“My therapist says I’ve created my own therapeutic framework, one that suits me. The lectures I give, the interviews – I’m always in touch with the material, it’s part of my processing of what happened. I’m not detached, I’m not running away, I’m not suppressing, and that’s why I don’t experience any symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, despite the official diagnosis I received because of the loss and captivity. I have no triggers, no flashbacks,” he said.

“The day I was released was rough. Just two days before, I heard that my brother was kidnapped and his remains were being held in Gaza, and then the questions over whether there would be a release, and when it would happen – everything became tense,” he commented.

“Then there was another absurd humiliation ceremony where I was also asked how I felt about reuniting with my wife and daughters. Then a few minutes passed, and I saw people in IDF uniforms, and finally felt secure. A few minutes later, an officer hugged me and told me my wife and daughters were murdered,” he continued.

“I got to where my friends were waiting, and asked just to take a shower before reuniting with my mom and sister, to clean off the time in Gaza, the captivity, the tunnels, and then the hugging with them, the helicopter ride to Sheba Medical Center, and reuniting with the rest of the family and friends – moments of happiness,” he added.

He commented that he is not really a celebrity. “I am not celebrating anything; there is no celebration here. I am a well-known person, and I embrace the event. It’s important for people to tell me how much they appreciate me, they want to strengthen me, they say I give them strength.”

He also said he misses being anonymous. “Yes, I’m a private person, and I definitely miss it, but one day it will all end, and then I’ll return to business, to the gym, to anonymity. Until that time, I don’t limit myself at all, I’ve only instructed my social manager not to post anything related to my private life on social media.”

“But I need a social media manager because I do not understand anything about that world, but I do understand that it’s a tool that speaks to young people, and I understand its power, and I need someone to deal with it,” he said.