Former hostage Avinatan Or attempted escape during captivity in Gaza
Former hostage Avinatan Or detailed his harrowing experience in Gaza, including a failed escape attempt and subsequent harsh treatment by captors. Or also recounted a chilling conversation with a terrorist who expressed a desire for future violence against Israel.
Why it matters
This account provides a firsthand perspective on the conditions faced by hostages and the ideological motivations of their captors, contributing to the ongoing discourse surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Ex-hostage Avinatan Or planned an escape attempt during his time isolated in captivity in Gaza after October 7, 2023, he told N12's Uvda in an interview on Monday."In the army they always told us, there's no such thing as a 100% perfect defense, there will always be some weak point," he explained.Or was kept in darkness in a below-ground cell, but according to him he was able to feel around and locate part of a wall of sandbags though which he could feel airflow. "That doesn't happen in a tunnel," Or said.For the next six months, approximately, Or dug his way through the sandbags. He used a garbage bag to conceal himself from the security camera, he explained, and used a 60 meter extension cable to dig.Or also described a bag he'd prepared with clothing he'd found and a sack on which he'd written the word "Hostage."
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