After over 15 months since her liberation from Hamas captivity in Gaza, Ilana Gritzewsky, 31, does not feel free. Her partner, Matan Zangauker, remains a captive of Hamas.

During the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which sparked the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Zangauker and Gritzewsky were abducted from their home in an Israeli border village. Gritzewsky, who was physically and sexually assaulted by her captors, has since dedicated her life to advocating for the hostages, including her partner, and two men she met in a Hamas tunnel while in captivity.

All four were kidnapped from the Israeli kibbutz, Nir Oz, situated near the border of Gaza. The Israeli government reports that around 24 hostages are still in Gaza, along with the remains of at least 35 who were taken on October 7.

Gritzewsky has expressed her trauma and inability to heal until the captives are set free. She also supports the idea of negotiations with Hamas to free the hostages, even if it means allowing Hamas to retain power in Gaza temporarily. Others, including some right-wing government officials, seek to defeat Hamas, which could delay or prevent a deal for the hostages’ release.

Einav Zangauker, Matan’s mother, has become a vocal critic of the Israeli government’s negotiation approach, joining other hostage families in antigovernment protests. With the Trump administration stepping in, several recently released hostages, including Eli Sharabi and Keith Siegel, went to the United States for meetings with President Trump and other officials.

A United Nations report last year suggested that sexual violence was committed by people involved in the October 7 Hamas attack, with hostages subjected to rape and sexual torture. The report also accused Israel of using sexual and gender-based violence during their campaign in Gaza.

Additionally, a video was released in December 2024 showing Zangauker pleading for Israel’s leaders to secure the hostages’ release. Despite international law experts noting that such videos are generally made under duress, Gritzewsky saw the video as proof that her partner still lived. It fostered hope but also shattered her and informed her commitment to pushing for their liberation.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/world/middleeast/israeli-hostage-gaza-campaign.html