Nir Barkat apologizes for comments over freed hostage Eli Sharabi's testimony
Asked on Saturday whether he had watched Sharabi's testimony on Channel 12's Uvda, Barkat said "I had more important things to do."
Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat apologized on Saturday for his remarks regarding Eli Sharabi's testimony on Uvda in a post on X/Twitter.
"I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart to Eli Sharabi, the families of the hostages, and anyone who was hurt by my statement," he said.
Asked on the Ofira & Levinson program on Saturday whether he had watched Sharabi's testimony on Channel 12's Uvda, Barkat said "I had more important things to do."
In his apology, the minister said, "I was not familiar with the program or its details."
"After watching it, Eli’s story moved me deeply—it is undoubtedly a powerful and emotional account," Barkat noted, adding that Sharabi was "a model and an inspiration for all of Israel."
"In the deals that were brought to a vote in the government, I supported them and made my voice clearly heard in favor of bringing all our loved ones home," Barkat further noted.
In late February, Sharabi, who was held in Gaza captivity for 491 days, detailed his experience in Hamas's tunnels.
Sharabi's testimony
Hamas's tunnels were well-fortified, rendering military operations to rescue hostages alive nearly impossible."The chains on my legs never left me from the day I arrived in Gaza until the last day. Some people were shackled only part of the time—I was chained for a year and four months, with thick, heavy locks that tore into my flesh,” he recounted.
He added, “The idea that a free person can just take fruit or drink water—that’s what you dream about every day. You don’t care about the beatings, even when they break your ribs. I didn’t care—just give me half a pita."
He noted how statements made by Israeli leaders affected the way Hamas treated its captives. “You could tell what was happening in the news just by their behavior. That’s why responsibility lies with the leadership. Their public statements carry immense power.
"The terrorists listen to them all the time. They would come to us and say, ‘Your government isn’t feeding our prisoners, so you won’t eat either. They beat our prisoners, so we will beat you. They don’t let them shower, so you won’t get a shower.’”
