Released From Hamas Captivity, a Hostage Finds His Family Gone

Hollow-eyed and visibly frail after nearly 500 days in captivity, Eli Sharabi stood on a podium, flanked by masked Hamas gunmen. He had no idea of the devastating truth that most Israelis had already come to know.

Back on October 7, 2023, during a Hamas-led assault, a dozen armed men stormed into Mr. Sharabi's home in Kibbutz Be’eri, located near the Gaza border. At the time, he had been hiding in a safe room with his wife, Lianne, and their two teenage daughters, Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13. In a desperate attempt to protect his family, he surrendered without resistance and was taken to Gaza.

But while he was held captive, the unthinkable had happened. Emerging from Hamas’s tunnels last month, Mr. Sharabi would soon learn that his wife, his daughters, and even the family dog, Mocha, had been shot and killed in their home on the same day he was captured. The heartbreak didn’t stop there—his brother, Yossi, who was also kidnapped during the attack, had died after 100 days in Gaza captivity.

Now released as part of a cease-fire deal involving the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, Mr. Sharabi was reunited with his mother and three remaining siblings on February 8. Their joy at his return was tempered by the agony of knowing the crushing news he would have to face. The family admitted they had agonized over how—or even if—they should break the news to him.

Mr. Sharabi and several other freed hostages have since flown to the United States, where they are scheduled to meet with administration officials this week. A potential meeting with President Trump is reportedly on the agenda.