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Former hostage Ohad Ben Ami on Monday described the conditions of his captivity alongside President Isaac Herzog. "Six of us lived in unbearable conditions in a 6-square-meter (65-square-foot) space. I got out, they’re still there," he said. "You can't rest for a minute. We won’t stop until everyone is home with their families."
He urged the Israeli government and the public to continue efforts to secure the hostages’ release. "Today is the 500th day. Keep going, fight. No one can just sit at home watching TV, hoping someone else will do the job. The moment we were aware people were fighting for us, it gave us strength. That’s our Israeli-Jewish spirit."
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President Isaac Herzog meeting Ohad Ben Ami and his family
(Video: Avi Kaner)
Ben Ami — whose wife Raz was also kidnapped and released in the first hostage deal in November 2023 — was held captive for 491 days. He addressed IDF soldiers directly: "When we were 30 meters [98 feet] underground, we always knew you were above, searching for us, doing everything to find us. You came with a sense of mission."
On Saturday, a video of Ben Ami was screened at the weekly protest at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, in which he called for those still in Gaza, "Stay strong. God willing, you’ll get out."
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"Today marks the 500th day since the outbreak of this terrible war and Hamas’ barbaric attack on October 7," Herzog said. "We have brothers and sisters still there in Gaza, and we want every last one of them home as soon as possible. I am expressing here the deepest sentiments of the people of Israel — to bring them home as quickly as possible and complete the deal."
He thanked IDF soldiers and reservists, saying, "For 500 days, countless Israeli citizens have been in uniform, serving in reserve duty, risking their lives alongside our courageous regular soldiers and commanders. When they went into battle, they carried pictures of you and the other hostages in their vests.
"They did everything they could. We have lost many brave sons and daughters who fought with heroism, incredible families. Michal and I have met over a thousand bereaved families this year—both soldiers and civilians—amazing people. And all of them went into battle to bring the hostages home.
Herzog also addressed displaced Israeli residents: "We have displaced residents in the north and south who need to return home as soon as possible. We must rebuild the Gaza border communities, restore the northern border, and take pride in our people, who fought this war and achieved remarkable successes. This is a massive regional change. But in the end, everyone in this nation carries deep scars, and all of us want to see the hostages home.”
”I do not take this lightly—not the cost of the deal, nor the risks it entails. I fully understand these pains, and as a security and governmental system, we will have to address all these challenges. But ultimately, we know that our brothers and sisters in Gaza are calling out to us from the depths. We want them home," he added.
He turned to Ben Ami and concluded, “When I look at you, I think of the saying, 'Whoever saves one life, it is as if he saved an entire world.' Truly, one life was saved—by the people of Israel, by the government’s decision, by the negotiations, by the deal.
"And we want to see them all come home. On this 500th day, we must remember and remind the world every single second of the unimaginable suffering of our brothers and sisters in Gaza. We want them all back—some for rehabilitation, others to be laid to rest in dignity.”