Into the tunnels of terror: Eli Sharabi’s unbreakable spirit

Eli Sharabi, held captive by Hamas for 491 days, will detail his ordeal in a televised interview airing Thursday night on Israel’s Uvda program with host Ilana Dayan. Released this week after more than 16 months in Gaza, Sharabi’s account sheds light on the psychological and physical toll endured by hostages following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

Sharabi, abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri during the assault that killed his wife, Lian, and daughters, Yahli and Noya, spoke of encountering Ohad Yahalomi in Gaza’s tunnel network. Yahalomi, then alive but frail, was among the captives; his body was returned to Israel early Thursday, the IDF confirmed. Sharabi’s testimony, previewed in a promotional clip, offers a rare glimpse into the conditions faced by hostages.

In the interview, Sharabi describes a calculated psychological ploy by Hamas during his release. On the day of his release, his captors staged a cynical “ceremony,” promising he’d soon hug his wife, Lian, and daughters, Yahli and Noya, at the Re’im absorption camp. Eli spoke at that twisted event, voice steady, saying he couldn’t wait to see them. He didn’t know—couldn’t know—that they’d been murdered that same black Shabbat. When IDF forces finally embraced him, they delivered the blow: his family was gone.

Eli’s story is stitched into a broader tapestry of pain. His brother Yossi, 51, was snatched from Be’eri too. Hamas flaunted Yossi in a video, only for the IDF to confirm in June that he’d been killed, his body still held in Gaza. The Sharabi family—shattered, yet Eli stands, a lone pillar amid the rubble.

Sharabi endured what he called humiliation by “human filth,” a sentiment underscored by an API photo from his captivity.

The Uvda interview, set to air at 9 p.m. local time, marks Sharabi’s first public remarks since his release. Dayan, visibly moved in the promo, asked how to approach such pain. “No tiptoeing—we talk about everything,” Sharabi responded, signaling an unflinching recounting of his 491-day nightmare.

The broadcast comes amid ongoing hostage negotiations. Israel is pressing mediators to increase releases per phase, as four other deceased captives were identified this week, including Yahalomi. Kibbutz Nir Oz mourned his loss, while survivor Omer Wenkert posted an emotional tribute to two still-held hostages: “You don’t leave my mind.”

Sharabi’s return—documented in Arab network footage as he was handed to the Red Cross—underscores Israel’s persistent efforts to recover its citizens, still embowelled in the depths of hell.