Dafna Elyakim, 16, who was released from Hamas captivity in the first hostage deal in November 2023 along with her sister Ela, recounted the days she spent in captivity with abducted IDF lookout Liri Albag at an event held on Sunday.
Hamas released a video on Saturday showing a sign of life from Albag, who was abducted on October 7, 2023.
"Liri would smile, laugh and try to find the positive," Dafna shared. "She said that if we survived what happened on October 7, there's no way they'd kill us after a month. We'd sing songs, talk about restaurants and family — anything to pass the time while we were there."
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Dafna and Ela Elyakim in Hamas' video found by the IDF
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
"When I saw proof of life and her name while I was on the bus, I couldn't stop crying. It was a relief — she's alive, she's okay — but at the same time, I thought about what she must be going through and what they were doing to her there,” she shared.
“I want to tell her that she's strong, to keep being strong and that she'll come home soon. We'll get her out of there soon and everything will be okay in the end," Dafna said.
She also recalled how she endured captivity herself: "What helped me was having my younger sister with me. It meant there was someone else from my family with me. Even now, I don't feel like I've fully returned. It feels like a dream like I'm still there with the other hostages I was with."
Dafna explained why she chose to speak at the event. "It was important for me to come and share the story so people would know what happened on October 7 and so it won't be forgotten. We mustn't forget the hostages. We need to keep mentioning them, talking about them and – for those who can – to join protests and shout what the hostages can't.
Ela Elyakim in Hamas' video found by the IDF
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
“It's really moving to see large crowds at protests, where you can't even move when people come to show they care about the hostages. It's uplifting to see that someone still cares. We can also keep praying, hoping and doing everything to bring them all back."
On May 19, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit released a video filmed by Hamas terrorists showing Ela Elyakim, Dafna's eight-year-old sister, speaking to the camera from captivity. "I, Ela Elyakim, the daughter of Noam, I'm eight years old. I'm asking Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nickmane] to free us; I'm a Hamas hostage.”
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A photo of Ella with Dafna in captivity was also released. The video, discovered by IDF forces, was filmed a few days after the sisters were kidnapped. The army stressed that the footage, which showed Ela standing with a Hamas flag behind her, was shown to the family and released to the media at their request.