Avinatan Or, an Israeli man kidnapped by Hamas militants during the October 7 attacks, said his captors “took everything from me” during his 738 days in captivity. The 33-year-old was abducted from the Nova music festival, where his then-partner Noa Argamani was also seized in footage that shocked the world.
Isolation and physical hardship in tunnels
Mr Or spent almost all of his time in Hamas captivity in total isolation, without sunlight, fresh air or a proper bathroom. At 6ft 4in, he was unable to stand up straight in the tunnels below Gaza.
Reflecting on his ordeal, Mr Or said his captors “took everything” from him and that he “struggled” to keep his mind clear. Speaking to the Daily Mail on the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks, he said: “Even though they took my physical freedom, I struggled so that they would not take my mental freedom.
“From the first day I entered the tunnel, I started to count everything I could. The days, the time, the distances, the dimensions of the tunnels. The first time they took me inside the tunnel, I counted how many steps I was doing.”
Survival tactics and relationships with guards
Mr Or taught himself Arabic while being held and developed new methods of keeping track of time. However, he knew his survival also depended on those guarding him.
He told the Mail he built “some kind of relationship” with two of the guards, but one commander “really hated me”. “Not just me — he really hated every Israeli. It didn't matter who you were,” he added. “And he really wanted to make my life as hard as he could, to push me to the edge and make my conditions worse.”
Torture after foiled escape attempt
Mr Or also revealed how he was tortured after a foiled escape attempt. He had spent months digging a route to freedom, initially using bits of plastic and other small objects to reach another passage beyond where he was being held.
On his 79th day in captivity, the tunnel Mr Or was in was hit by a bomb. As he tried to escape, the tunnel collapsed around him. Two terrorists then pulled him free from the rubble with their hands.
Memoir and release
The 33-year-old has released a new memoir about his horrifying experience, called ‘Through the Earth’. The book, which quickly became number one bestseller in Israel, is set to be translated into English.
Mr Or also revealed his captors lied to him about Ms Argamani, telling him weeks into captivity that she had been freed. While in reality, she was not released until 245 days into the war after an Israeli military operation in Gaza.
The couple have since split up, with Mr Or telling the Mail: “People change because of different things after two years.” Despite significant public interest in their relationship, he said there are “some things that we just want to stay between us”. Mr Or was released from Hamas captivity in October last year.
