Former hostage Or Levy, who was released in February after spending 491 days in captivity, spoke on Sunday morning with Anat Davidov and Udi Segal on 103FM, saying, "Someone came up to me and said, ‘Great news, there might be a deal.’ At that moment, I felt alive," amid reports of progress in negotiations and an Israeli delegation’s visit to Egypt.
Levy recounted the physical and emotional toll of his captivity in Gaza, his recovery since returning home, and his continued advocacy for those still being held.
“All the horrors we went through are things that are hard to comprehend,” he said. “When we were on the pickup truck and saw the terrorists putting a tourniquet on Hersh Goldberg-Polin, we realized we were being kidnapped. When they took me out of the shelter, I saw a zoo there. That’s when we realized it was all real.”
Levy described the moments after his arrival in Gaza.
“I was surrounded by a crowd that wanted to lynch me, and I was taken to a hospital where I had to trust Hamas terrorists to save my life,” he said. “I was wounded, and afterward, they stitched me up in seven places on my body. It was not a pleasant feeling, to say the least.”
‘We realized people were fighting for us’
Levy also reflected on a moment during captivity when he was asked by Hamas terrorists about Ayalon Street in Tel Aviv.
“We didn’t understand what they wanted until they told us it had been blocked,” he said. “It gives a good feeling in your heart to know that people are fighting and believe we’ll come back. To this day, when I see those things, it moves me.”
He was released along with Eli Sharabi and Ohad Ben Ami. All three returned home in frail condition. “About three weeks before we returned, they started feeding us huge amounts of food,” Levy said. “You saw how I came back? That was after three weeks of overeating. Imagine how bad things were before that.”
Friend still in Gaza: ‘It could have been me’
One of Levy’s closest friends in captivity, Alon Ohel, remains in Gaza after 730 days.
“He was with me for 491 days, and he’s still there,” Levy said. “His photos have been published, and I feel guilty. When they told us we were going home, they told Alon he had a date, too. I hugged him for the last time and said, ‘Come on, we’ll see you soon,’ and it didn’t happen.”
“Honestly, the fact that I’m here and he’s not is just luck. It could have been me or anyone else, and I’m not at peace with it. There are still people there suffering, dying.”
“Eight months after my return, it still hurts,” he said. “They reached the well, were being fed properly, and were waiting to be on the next list — and then everything collapsed. They were left in the pit to drown.”
A cautious hope for a new deal
Since his release, Levy has devoted himself to supporting the families of the remaining hostages.
“I live in that world of the hostages,” he said. “Yesterday, I wanted a few hours off from the news, and I went out. Someone came up to me and said, ‘Great news, there might be a deal.’ At that moment, I felt alive.”
He expressed cautious optimism about recent diplomatic efforts.
“I feel optimistic because it feels different,” he said. “[Former US president Donald] Trump is speaking differently; everything sounds different from what I’ve heard before. I feel this is positive and different, and this is everyone’s chance to come down from the tree, especially as we mark two years since that day.”
‘There’s still a missing piece’
Levy’s wife, Einav, was murdered on October 7. His young son, Almog, remains his source of strength.
“I have my Almog — she’s the reason I get up every morning,” he said. “But there’s still a missing piece in me — bringing everyone home.”
Levy ended the interview with a message to Alon and the other hostages still held in Gaza.
“I hope that even this week we’ll get to see you, strengthen you, and breathe together again with my brothers, and close the circle with their families,” he said. “To those still there, be strong — we are fighting for you every moment.”