Freed Hostage Ohad Ben Ami: “We Knew the IDF Was Searching for Us—That Gave Us Strength”

Ohad Ben Ami, recently freed from Hamas captivity, shared an emotional account of his ordeal today (Monday) during a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. He recounted that knowing the IDF was making every effort to locate and rescue him gave him the strength to endure. “We saw the dedication of the soldiers and understood that they were doing everything possible to bring us home,“ Ben Ami said.

Reflecting on his captivity, Ben Ami described the unyielding hope that sustained him. “We were 30 meters underground, but we always knew the IDF was searching for us—and that gave us strength. We saw the devotion of the soldiers, and we understood that they were doing everything in their power to bring us home. They were there for us—now, we need to be there for them and continue the fight.”

“Every Second in Captivity Feels Like an Eternity”

Ben Ami shared the horrors of captivity. “We lived in a six-square-meter space, under unliveable conditions. I made it out—but they are still there. You cannot rest for even a single moment—every second there feels like an eternity. I hope that the decision-makers in Israel will continue to act with the same urgency as they have been so that all phases will be carried out simultaneously and as quickly as possible. Every additional day in captivity is a nightmare—people are counting every second and every minute, not just the days.”

Addressing IDF soldiers and security forces, Ben Ami relayed an emotional message. “We came here with a sense of mission, but also with pain. Families have lost their loved ones—regular soldiers, reservists—and we were aware of the scale of the loss and the immense suffering. I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to every soldier and security officer who fights day and night to bring everyone home.“

“The People of Israel Are United—We Must Keep up the Pressure”

Ben Ami concluded with a powerful call to action, urging the Israeli public to persist in the fight for the release of the remaining hostages. “The moment we knew they were fighting for us—it strengthened us. And when we are united as the people of Israel, as the Jewish people—that is our ultimate strength. We must continue pressing forward, never forgetting anyone—until we bring everyone home!”

“I turn to the Israeli government and to my dear, beloved people of Israel—this is day 500. Keep going, go out, fight! No one can sit at home watching TV and hope that someone else will do the work—we must all step up and take action!”

Ben Ami ended his emotional speech with a firm declaration: “Our victory will be when the deal moves to the second and third phases—until every hostage returns home safely. Until then—we will not rest, and we will not stop.”