Freedom – with Eli Sharabi

We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to [email protected] or message Aviva on X at @AvivaKlompas. Eli Sharabi spent 491 days in Hamas captivity — hidden in homes, held in tunnels, and forced to survive the unthinkable. When he finally emerged, Israel rejoiced, but his freedom came with unbearable news: his wife and daughters were among the victims of October 7. In this powerful conversation, Eli reflects on life before the massacre, the will to survive, and what it means to rebuild after loss. He also speaks about the moral clarity that came from witnessing Hamas up close and why confronting that ideology is central to any hope of peace. Eli’s memoir, Hostage, has become a global phenomenon — the fastest-selling book in Israel’s history and a #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. In this raw and unflinching firsthand account, Sharabi offers an unprecedented look inside Hamas captivity, chronicling the starvation, isolation, brutal beatings, and psychological torment he endured — and the extraordinary will to survive that carried him through. Guest Bio Eli Sharabi is a former hostage who survived 491 days in Hamas captivity following his abduction from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023. Sharabi became a global advocate for the remaining hostages, meeting with world leaders like US President Donald Trump, speaking at the United Nations, and sharing his story with audiences around the world. His memoir, Hostage, the first published account by a released Israeli hostage, became an instant number one bestseller in Hebrew (the fastest selling book in Israeli history) and an instant New York Times (US) and Sunday Times (UK) bestseller. Born in Tel Aviv to Yemenite and Moroccan parents, Sharabi moved to Be’eri as a teenager and later married Lianne, a British woman with whom he shared two daughters, Noiya and Yahel, aged sixteen and thirteen. A longtime resident of Be’eri, Sharabi served as the Kibbutz’s business manager, as well as the Chief Financial Officer of the Kibbutz, Be’eri Printing, and other private companies in Israel. Sharabi continues to work tirelessly as leading advocate for raising awareness of the October 7th atrocities.