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Amit Soussana, an Israeli who survived 55 days in Hamas captivity and later spoke publicly about the sexual violence she endured, was awarded the U.S. Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award on Tuesday. She is the second Israeli woman to receive the honor since its inception in 2007.
Soussana was kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct. 7 during Hamas’s assault on southern Israel. Her release came as part of a hostage deal in late 2023. She is one of eight women worldwide recognized this year for demonstrating extraordinary bravery and leadership.
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Amit Soussana's speech
(Video: U.S. Department of State)
The award was presented by First Lady Melania Trump during a ceremony at the State Department in Washington, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio also delivered remarks. Former hostages Keith and Aviva Siegel, who were also freed in the same exchange, attended the event and later met privately with Trump.
Rubio praised Soussana’s courage in speaking out after her release. “Amit was kidnapped from her home by Hamas,” Rubio said. “After her release, she shared details of the sexual violence she suffered, allowing medical professionals to document the atrocities she endured. All of this happened while some denied these horrors and even accused Israel of Hamas’s brutality. Her bravery has brought much-needed attention to the scourge of sexual violence in conflicts around the world.”
In her speech, Soussana said she stood before the audience “with deep gratitude” and dedicated the award to the women of Israel, calling them “the stronger gender—not because we do not feel pain, but because we rise from it.”
“My name is Amit Soussana, and I am a survivor,” she said. “On October 7, my world changed forever. I was taken hostage by Hamas and held for 55 days—days of fear, pain, and of being stripped of every freedom I once took for granted. In captivity, I had no control over my body. No control over my life. I resisted as best I could, but it was not enough to stop what happened to me.”
Soussana said the strength her mother instilled in her helped her survive, and she vowed never to remain silent. “I would speak not just for myself, but for every woman who has been silenced,” she said. “While I am here, my friends remain in the darkness. 543 long days and nights. They are still suffering. Still waiting. Still hoping. Their voices remain unheard, so I will speak for them. We cannot move forward until they are free.”
Soussana called on world leaders to take immediate action to secure the release of those still held in Gaza. “Bring them home now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Now,” she said, expressing thanks to President Trump and his administration for their role in the latest hostage exchange.
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Soussana speaking at the UN
She noted that the award is “more than an honor. It is a responsibility,” and emphasized the importance of standing together, choosing justice over silence and action over fear.
Soussana also reflected on the upcoming Jewish holiday of Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. “This will be the second Passover that hostages remain in captivity,” she said. “Across the world, Christians will celebrate Easter—a time of renewal and hope. But for too many families, there is no renewal. Only waiting.”
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Following the ceremony, Soussana will join the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), a flagship initiative designed to foster global cooperation among female leaders in human rights, law, and civil society.
Since her release, Soussana has become a prominent voice in the international campaign to free the remaining hostages and raise awareness of sexual violence in war. Her testimony before the U.N. Security Council helped prompt broader global attention to the use of rape as a weapon of war and inspired other women to come forward with their stories.