Eitan Gonen, the father of Israeli hostage Romi Gonen, expressed his heartbreak on Wednesday after seeing footage of the tunnel where six hostages were held before being executed by Hamas.
“We imagine Romi in a safe place, but seeing a tunnel like that, where I wouldn’t even put animals, was devastating,” Gonen told Ynet. “I didn’t sleep at all last night. I imagined something completely different. You can’t stand upright, there are no faucets—no human should endure this for even a second.
“The last we know of Romi was from November 30 last year, when other women held with her said she was alive. We believe she’ll return to us, but this video makes it harder.”
Gonen also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. “This government’s mandate is over. They told us it was important to keep the hostages alive, but after so many bodies have been recovered, that doesn’t hold up. When will I get my daughter back? That depends on the prime minister.”
Michael Levi, the brother of hostage Or Levi, voiced similar frustration. “I suggest the ministers imagine their own child in such conditions,” he said. “It’s tragic that we have to convince anyone that bringing the hostages home is the top priority.” Michael added, “Or is 6'3". For him, being in a tunnel like that is like being trapped in a shoebox.”
Levi emphasized the ongoing pain in Israel. “There are still 101 hostages in captivity, and the whole country has been living with this open wound for a year. It’s not the Philadelphi Corridor or another terrorist that matters. The next generation understands we can’t feel safe here.”
The disturbing footage has gained international attention. The Wall Street Journal reported under the headline, “Before being killed, Israeli hostages held in tiny tunnel with bottles for a bathroom.” CNN aired part of the video with IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, calling the conditions “horrific.”
The New York Times ran a headline stating, “Israeli military reveals brutal conditions 6 hostages endured in a Gaza tunnel,” noting the cramped, humid tunnel 20 meters underground where the hostages spent their final days.
The footage was also broadcast in Arab media. Saudi Arabia’s Al Hadath aired it with Arabic translation, while Qatar’s Al Jazeera headlined it as “Israel tells new story about the killing of six hostages and the challenges in Gaza’s tunnels.” The Qatari newspaper The New Arab focused on the growing calls within Israel for a hostage deal, spurred by the video’s release.