For the first time, a former hostage who survived Hamas captivity addressed the UN Security Council.
By Rachel Avraham
For the first time, a former hostage who survived Hamas captivity addressed the UN Security Council. Noa Argamani, who survived months in Hamas captivity and whose boyfriend Avinatan Or remains a hostage, delivered powerful testimony before the council.
As Noa Argamani explained to the UN Security Council, “I was kidnapped on October 7 by Hamas terrorists from the Nova Music Festival with my partner Avinatan Or. We were taken by force into Gaza. We were held in total fear, living in a nightmare. After eight months in captivity, I was rescued by Israeli soldiers. Being here today is a miracle, but I am here to tell you that we have no time. As we speak, there are still 63 hostages living in a nightmare including my partner Avinatan Or. In fact, we believe that 24 of them are alive. Many of them sent signs of life through released hostages. Our life cannot go on without them and that is why I need to make sure that the world knows that.”
According to her, “The deal must go on, in full, completely, in all the stages. My partner Avinatan Or and many other hostages are only supposed to be released in the second stage of the deal. We are talking about innocent people taken from the bed, from a dance party, from their simple life into a pure hell. You don’t need me to tell you about the nine-month old Kfir and four year old Ariel, and their mother Shiri, just a mother with her babies who were brutally murdered in captivity. The crime is unthinkable. We cannot imagine it. But it happened and that is why we cannot leave anyone there.”
Noa Argamani told the UN Security Council, “I know what is the feeling to be left behind. I watched other hostages being released to their families. Every moment feels like the last moment of their life. Every second counts. When I was in Gaza, I was held with two little girls, Hila Rotem and Emily Hand. At that time, Emily was eight years old and Hila was 12. I had to be brave. Not only for myself but also for the girls. I had to act like everything is going to be ok. And I kept telling them as long as we are here together alive in this room, nothing else matters. I told them to ignore all the bombings and sounds of shooting, and everything that was around us.”
According to her, “Hila and Emily were both released in the first hostage deal after fifty days. I watched them and two other women who were with me in captivity going back home to their families, while I stayed behind. I was not a part of any category that could be released. I cannot even begin to describe the feeling of being left behind, but I can say this is how the hostages feel today, abandoned by the world. After 54 days in captivity, I was just left with Itay Svirsky, and Yossi Sharabi, both kidnapped from their houses in Kibbutz Be’eri.”
She told the UN Security Council, “We were in a war zone 24/7. It is terrifying for every day for every second. One day, the house that we were held in blew up and we found ourselves among the destruction. Itay was able to stand up, while Yossi and I were stuck under the rubble. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I thought it was going to be the last second of my life. I screamed so loud so that someone would hear me and I heard Yossi screaming too. But after a few seconds, I stopped hearing from Yossi. I was pulled out of the rubble and I tried to help Yossi. But it was already too late. Yossi was a close friend of mine and he was a pure, kind soul. He will always be in my heart.”
Noa Argamani continued, “Itay and I had to find somewhere else to hide. So, one of our captors took us to another house. But two days later, Itay was murdered by this same captor. Itay was with me since the first day in captivity. We told each other everything. He was my true soulmate. May his memory be a blessing. Hamas published a video of me, describing what happened to Itay and Yossi, and that I was injured and needed medical help. But of course, I got nothing. No doctors. No Red Cross. Nothing. From that moment, I was by myself with five terrorists holding me in the same house.”
She continued, “You must understand that every second in captivity is dangerous. I didn’t think I would come out alive. This is why it is absolutely critical that we put an end to this terrible tragedy. Without immediate action, many more innocent people will be killed, including my partner Avinatan Or. Until Avinatan returns, my heart is in captivity.”
“Today, I come before you to say do not let the darkness take over,” Noa Argamani concluded. “Work to get everyone home now. Work for the light and against the darkness. I came here today to speak before the UN Security Council because I believe that the international community must understand that the hostages are in hell. And after losing so many friends, they deserve to come back home now. What kept me alive in captivity till this very day is something that my mother used to tell me: always be kind. In this forum, let me end with that, always be kind to each other and bring all of them home now.”
