Trump invites ex-hostage Eli Sharabi to the White House after watching his testimony

US President Donald Trump viewed translated excerpts of an emotional interview given by captivity survivor Eli Sharabi to Channel 12's "Uvda" program and personally invited him, along with other survivors, to the White House, Sharon Sharabi, Eli's brother, revealed in an interview with Keshet 12 this morning.

Sharabi and fellow captivity survivors are scheduled to fly to Washington on Monday, with their meeting at the White House set for Tuesday.

In his testimony, Sharabi recounted harrowing experiences from his time in Hamas captivity and described how, despite never being religious, he found faith in his darkest moments.

"I'm not a religious person, but from the moment I was kidnapped, I said 'Shema Yisrael' every morning, something I've never done in my life," he shared emotionally. "The power of faith is crazy. I felt that there was someone watching over me." With tears in his eyes, he added, "I made Kiddush for myself and said Friday night prayers for my mother, my sisters, my wife, and my daughters."

When asked by the interviewer, "Is God in the tunnel?" Sharabi responded, "There's something watching over you in the tunnel, and you find a lot of comfort there."

Sharabi also revealed chilling details about the psychological torment Hamas inflicted on him, particularly in the moments before his release. His captors deceived him into believing that he would be reunited with his wife and two daughters at Re’im—when in reality, they had been murdered on October 7. The truth was only revealed to him upon his transfer to the IDF.

Sharabi also recalled seeing Ohad Yahalomi alive in the tunnels, though in serious condition. Yahalomi’s body was later returned to Israel.

Eli Sharabi endured nearly 500 days in Hamas captivity. His wife, Lian, and daughters, Yali and Noya, were brutally murdered on October 7. He was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be'eri along with his brother Yossi, who was also killed.