Three years on, October 7 trauma still grips Israel as survivors relive 505 days in Hamas tunnels

Three years on, October 7 trauma still grips Israel as survivors relive 505 days in Hamas tunnels

Three years after the Hamas-led attacks, Israeli survivors remain trapped by trauma even after their release from captivity. Freed hostages are speaking publicly about what they endured in Gaza, while shattered communities struggle to rebuild.

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Three years after the October 7 attacks, the trauma remains deeply rooted in Israeli society, with survivors and their communities still struggling to recover [255525].

Omer Shem Tov spent 505 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza before his release on February 22, 2025. Since then, he has chosen to speak publicly about what he endured, sharing his story in Israel and around the world and bearing witness to his time in the tunnels [255514].

His testimony comes three years after the October 7 attacks, and it shows that the trauma does not end with release [255514].

Keith Siegel spent 484 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza, etching everything that happened after October 7, 2023, into his memory. He recited to himself every place he was held, the dates he was moved, and every attack or humiliation he endured or witnessed. He aimed to store intelligence that could help Israeli forces free other hostages if he was released. He also wanted to keep track of time as the days slid by and to be able to tell his family what happened to him. Now his body is free, but he cannot loosen those memories [255646].

Israeli communities shattered by the Hamas massacres are torn between rebuilding their lives and remembering lost friends and relatives [255646].

The unresolved pain makes it difficult for Israelis to critically assess Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's response, which led to the destruction of Gaza [255525].

Sources

505 days in Hamas tunnels: Freed hostage speaks out #255514'All I want to do is cry': Three years after the Hamas attacks, Israeli survivors remain trapped by trauma #255646Three years on, October 7 trauma still grips Israel #255525

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