"They were there for each other at every moment": Two years since the murder of the six hostages in the tunnel

Two years have passed. Amid the wave of difficult news that the country's citizens absorbed in the shadow of the October 7 massacre, one piece of news was cleared for publication that shook the earth. 11 months after the Black Saturday, the six hostages — Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Staff Sergeant Ori Danino, of blessed memory — were murdered in captivity. Out of the deep rift created in the nation over the issue of returning the hostages, one urgent goal coalesced: to reach them as quickly as possible — and while they were still alive.

Hersh, Eden, Ori, Alex, Almog, and Carmel, of blessed memory, were murdered in a tunnel in Gaza after being held there together for about 11 months. Their bodies were returned to Israel at the end of August 2024. An IDF investigation conducted after the discovery of the six bodies revealed that Hamas spotters saw IDF forces in the area and ordered the terrorists to murder the six hostages.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was 23 at the time of his kidnapping, is an American-Israeli citizen. Hersh Goldberg-Polin arrived at the Nova festival with his good friend Aner Shapira, of blessed memory, with whom he found shelter in a reinforced concrete shelter dubbed the "death shelter," from which he was kidnapped. Hersh's hand was severed during the attack on the shelter. On April 2, 2024, Hamas released a video of Hersh from captivity, which was the first sign of life the family received. About two months ago, his family allowed the publication of footage of his kidnapping along with hostages Or Levy and Elia Cohen.

Ori Danino

Ori Danino was 24 at the time he was kidnapped from the Nova party on October 7. Ori, who had already managed to escape from the party area in Re'im, turned back to help rescue friends he had met at the party: Maya and Itay Regev, and Omer Shem-Tov. On the way, they were shot by terrorists and kidnapped. Danino was taken by the terrorists separately from the others, and his fate was unclear. His disappearance remained a mystery for months. "I open my eyes and I don't see anyone in the driver's seat," Itay Regev described the moments of the kidnapping.

Eden Yerushalmi

Eden Yerushalmi celebrated her 24th birthday on her first Saturday in captivity. She was supposed to fly to Greece, but was kidnapped to Gaza from the party in Re'im (Nova). When the attack on the party began on Saturday morning, Eden called her mother Shirit at 7:20 and shouted, "They are shooting at us." Her sister took charge, and for four hours, while Eden was on the run, the two were on the phone.

Carmel Gat

Carmel Gat celebrated her 40th birthday in Hamas captivity. She was kidnapped from her parents' home in Be'eri in front of her father, who survived the massacre and is still waiting for her. Carmel, an occupational therapy student, had returned from a three-month trip to India days before the Black Saturday. On that day, her mother Kinneret was murdered and she was kidnapped. Her brother Alon, her sister-in-law Yarden, and their daughter Gefen were also kidnapped, but the father and daughter managed to escape, while Yarden was kidnapped but released in the last hostage deal.

Alexander Lobanov

Alexander Lobanov, who was 32 at the time of his kidnapping, left behind a wife and two sons: Tom the eldest and little Kai, who is turning six months old without having known his father, having had the chance to be photographed with him, or to feel the touch of his hand, as he was born after his father was kidnapped. Alex worked as a bar manager at the Nova festival. In his last conversation with his wife Michal, he told her he was running from the terrorists' fire. Since then, contact with him was lost.

In December 2025, video footage of the six hostages who were held together in the tunnel after they were murdered was revealed. The footage was revealed on the season premiere of "Uvda" (Keshet 12). The footage, which documented the hostages for hours on end, was found in the heart of Gaza — and in it, the hostages are seen lighting a candle, singing a Hanukkah song, playing cards together, and sharing experiences from captivity.

"They endured indescribable suffering"

"For 11 months they were abandoned in the Hamas tunnels, suffered severe hunger, and endured indescribable suffering," was written today on the "Democracy Now" Facebook account. "Netanyahu and his coalition are still in office and acting as if this terrible eclipse did not happen on their watch. They want us to forget. Natan Eshel, a confidant of the Hamas financier, even went further and said: until the elections, they won't remember Netanyahu for the October 7 disaster. But we do not forget. The elections are in 58 days. We will not forget and will never forgive, and on election day we will settle the score, also in the name of the hostages who were abandoned and did not survive."

Gil Dickmann, Carmel Gat's cousin, wrote on his X account: "Did you notice that Alex, Eden, and Carmel are holding cards? What you might not have noticed is that Hersh is not holding cards. He only has one hand. So Almog sits next to him and helps him hide them using the pillow. So he can play with everyone. Carmel made him a pita. And Eden rubbed his hand with alcohol gel. Alex took care of the food. Ori moved the mattresses and swept the room. They were there for each other. At every moment. And they so needed to be here with us now. We will not forget them."