The agonizing details of a former hostage's ordeal have emerged, revealing that Hamas captors deliberated whether to abandon the severely wounded soldier, Matan Angrest, during his two years in the Gaza Strip.
Einat Angrest, the mother of the recently freed IDF tank soldier, disclosed the shocking information in an interview with Kan 11 on Tuesday, eight days after her son's emotional return to Israel. Matan Angrest was abducted from his tank on October 7, 2023, and was held for over 730 days until his release under the terms of the early October hostage deal.
Debate Over Survival
Einat Angrest revealed the immense struggle her son faced due to his injuries. According to her account, the Hamas terrorists who held him seriously debated his fate.
The mother stated the terrorists questioned "whether it was worth keeping him alive or giving up on him" due to the severity of the wounds he sustained during his abduction. Footage released by the family from October 7 showed Angrest, bent and kneeling, being extracted from his tank, his military shirt pulled up to expose his chest as terrorists guided him.
Despite the near-death experience and prolonged captivity, Einat Angrest said her son remained resolute, telling her: "I did what was expected of me as a soldier." Matan expressed pride in his decision to fight on the morning of the massacre and revealed he had considered the possibility of abduction.
