“Since Saturday, I haven’t been sleeping for two days now, wondering about my son,” said Idit Ohel, who received the first sign of life from her son, Alon, on Saturday upon the release of hostages Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi, and Or Levy.
The three relayed to the Ohel family that Alon has shrapnel in his eye, shoulder, and arm and was bound in chains throughout his time in captivity, all while being starved.
“We know that Alon is being bound,” she said while describing the heightened level of emotional turmoil that she has been going through since Saturday.
Ohel was held with Sharabi and Levy for the duration of their captivity. Idit described how they helped each other get through the brutal situation as much as they could.
“I do know from what they have told me that in his mind, in his heart, he’s strong and fighting for his life every day. This is very important for us to know that Alon is okay.”
Ohel’s younger sister, Inbal, marked her birthday on Saturday, the same day that the most recent hostages were released. Idit described how “wonderful” it was that Ohel told Sharabi it was his sister’s birthday.
“She got from Alon her birthday wish – to hear from her brother, which is incredible to have that on her birthday,” she said, breaking down in tears.
Ohel marked his second birthday in captivity on Monday, turning 24. Last night, his family held an event at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv to mark the occasion. Among the attendees were many musicians, to acknowledge Ohel’s love of piano and music.
“He hasn’t seen sunlight in 493 days,” said Idit, describing the brutal conditions that Ohel and the other hostages have had to endure in captivity. She described how they receive one piece of bread each day; they sleep on the ground where there are no mattresses, just the prayer mats belonging to Hamas terrorists.
Idit conveyed what she has been going through since she found out about the condition of her son. “It was not easy to hear. I’ll put it lightly.” She stated that she fainted upon hearing the news.
“I don’t think there is a mother in this world that would even be able to sleep if they knew that their son has not gotten dinner or has not been able to move for so many days,” she said.
A loving mother shares memories of her son
Idit depicted her connection to Ohel as that of a mother attached to her baby with an umbilical cord, which she said she sees in her mind every day. She said, “I know he’s taking a lot of energy from me because he does not have enough.”
Idit described the crushing pain she feels, knowing that her son is most likely alone now that Eli Sharabi and Or Levy have been released. She worries that he feels neglected and that people have forgotten about him.
However, Idit remains optimistic about the release of her son, saying, “Alon is coming back alive. I’ve known this since October 7.”
She stated that Ohel has the strength to survive because it’s in his genes. “Alon’s great-grandfather was in Auschwitz in the Holocaust. He came out [weighing] 30 kilograms, and he survived. He came to Israel and started a beautiful family.”
Idit criticized the International Committee of the Red Cross, asking, “Why do they [the ICRC] exist if they can’t help?” The Red Cross has stated on its website that they have not visited any of the hostages due to a lack of access to them. “The fact that the ICRC has never seen Alon – this is wrong on so many levels.”
Additionally, Idit expressed her frustration with the government. “From this government, the influential people for this deal, no one has called me up,” Idit said. Since hearing about the status of her son, Idit noted that she has spoken to President Isaac Herzog, as well as other foreign ministers, and yet has heard nothing from the Israeli government itself.
Idit praised the efforts of US President Donald Trump in bringing about the deal together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, she also emphasized that she “needs this government to be in this. I need this government to continue with a deal.”
She stressed how crucial it is that the second phase begins quickly “so that all the hostages that are alive don’t die.”
Prof. Hagai Levine, who heads the health team at the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, said, “There’s a clear and present danger to the hostages’ lives.”
He shared his reaction to seeing the “distressing images” of the hostages released on Saturday while standing in Hostages Square and how they were “dehumanized until the last minute.” However, he added, “This is only a glimpse into the brutal, inhumane conditions that the hostages endured. When we see them, we don’t see what’s inside.”
“The hostages are treated worse than animals,” he said and described the reports which detail the torture endured by the hostages. “They are tied for many days... their hands and legs. They are subject to severe food and water deprivation.”
He also warned that while the pictures of the released hostages were distressing, there are likely to be other hostages yet to be returned who are in worse condition.
During his testimony on Monday, Netanyahu stated that he’s “been dragged through hell” for eight years since the corruption investigations began. Levine pointed out that the hostages “are literally in hell.”
Ohel was kidnapped as a civilian from the Nova music festival by a United Nations Relief and Works Agency employee from the same infamous bomb shelter that 27 people hid in on October 7. Out of those 27, only seven survived, and Ohel and three others were kidnapped. Those who survived only did so because they were able to hide underneath piles of dead bodies.
“There’s footage of Hamas that we have showing this kidnapping,” said Idit. In the video, a UNRWA employee is seen as one of the kidnappers who took Ohel into Gaza.
She explained that the shelter in which they hid is now nicknamed the “death shelter” because of all the people who were murdered there.
Idit describes her son as a “beautiful person” who “loves life.” She explained that he is a good friend, recounting with enthusiasm, “People call me to tell me about their interactions with him.”
A month-and-a-half before he was taken hostage, Ohel went traveling around Asia. Idit shared how he met people and cared for them when they were sick and injured despite the fact that they had just met.
She also explained how much he loves Friday night dinner and how “every Friday, he makes sure that we sit as a family, and he arranges everything. He does not miss Friday nights.”