Freed hostage Ohad ben Ami reveals harrowing captivity on day 500 of crisis

Ohad Ben Ami, released from Hamas captivity just nine days ago after 491 days in captivity, provided a stark account of his imprisonment during an emotional meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday, marking the 500th day since the October 7 attacks.

"Six of us lived in impossible conditions underground, in just 6 square meters, 30 meters underground," Ben Ami revealed, speaking alongside President Herzog. "I got out, [but] they remained there." Ben Ami, whose wife Raz was also kidnapped and released in an earlier deal, emphasized the urgent need to maintain pressure for the release of remaining hostages.

In a powerful message to IDF forces, Ben Ami shared how the captives maintained hope: "When we were there underground, 30 meters below, we always knew you were above, searching for us and doing everything to find us. Coming with a sense of mission."

He issued a passionate call to the Israeli public: "We cannot rest, must not be quiet even for one minute. No one can sit at home in front of the TV hoping someone else will do the work for them. Continue, go out, fight."

The meeting took place during a symbolic 500-minute fast organized by the Hostages' Families Headquarters, running from 11:40 to 20:00. Just two days earlier, Ben Ami had addressed those still in captivity through a video screened at Hostages Square, urging them to "Stay strong, with God's help you will get out of there."

President Herzog, visibly moved during the meeting, emphasized the national priority of securing the hostages' release: "We have sisters and brothers there in Gaza and we want all of them, to the last one, home as quickly as possible." He acknowledged the sacrifice of IDF soldiers, noting that "When they went out to fight, they carried your picture and the pictures of other hostages in their vests."

The President also addressed the broader impact of the ongoing conflict, mentioning the displaced residents from both northern and southern Israel who need to return home. "I don't take lightly the price of the deal and the risks," Herzog stated, "but in the end we know we have brothers and sisters there in Gaza, crying out to us from the ground."

Concluding the meeting, Herzog reflected on the significance of each life saved: "I look at you and think - 'whoever saves one life.' We truly saved one life, the people of Israel saved, the government's decision saved, the negotiations saved, the deal saved, we want to see everyone coming home!" He emphasized the urgency of the situation, adding, "On day 500 we must remember and remind every second, as you said, of the terrible suffering of the sisters and brothers in Gaza. We want everyone either for rehabilitation or for proper burial in Israel."

Ben Ami's testimony provides one of the most detailed firsthand accounts of conditions faced by hostages in Gaza, while highlighting the ongoing crisis of those still in captivity as the conflict approaches its 500th day.