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After 491 days in Hamas captivity, Eli Sharabi has returned home. But for his brother, Sharon Sharabi, the fight is far from over. Alongside the overwhelming relief and joy of Eli’s release, Sharon continues his battle to bring back the body of their brother, Yossi Sharabi, who was also abducted alive from Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7 but was later killed in Gaza. His remains are still being held by the Hamas terror group.
In an interview with Ynet on Tuesday, Sharon described the first moment he embraced his brother after more than 16 months in captivity. He spoke of Eli’s harrowing ordeal, his difficult road to recovery, and the devastating reality that awaited him: the murders of his wife, Lian, and daughters, Yahel and Noya, in the October 7 massacre.
Even before learning that Eli was on the latest list of freed hostages, Sharon traveled to Kfar Maccabiah, where families of hostages have been gathering. “Just in case,” he said. “I arrived on Friday, even though there was no certainty Eli would be released in this round.”
The confirmation came unexpectedly. “That evening, I was sitting at the Shabbat table when someone told me, ‘I’m so happy for you.’ I didn’t understand at first. Then she said, ‘Your brother is coming home.’ We jumped for joy – physically jumped. Of course, I didn’t sleep a minute that night.”
Eli’s mother and sister, Osnat, were at Re’im military base, where the freed hostages first reunited with their families. They watched as Eli stepped out of a Hamas vehicle in Gaza, joining Red Cross teams alongside fellow hostages Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy. The images of them – thin, pale and struggling to walk – shook the entire nation.
“Eli was freed at the last possible moment,” Sharon said. Their first hug took place at Sheba Medical Center. “I held him tight, crying with joy and pain. I told him, ‘You’re home now. You’re safe. We’ll never leave you.’ I also whispered the prayer Shema Yisrael and thought of our mother, who could finally hold him again. It was the fulfillment of a life mission.”
Surviving the unimaginable
During his captivity, Eli was completely cut off from the outside world. “He had no idea about the efforts to bring him home,” Sharon said. “No radio, no television, no sunlight – not even fluorescent light. He was deep underground. He endured things the human eye and heart cannot comprehend.”
Physically frail and mentally shaken, Eli faces a long recovery. “He’s in a difficult state, but he will overcome this,” Sharon said. “We’re mourning, but we will rise. Life is stronger than anything, and we will rebuild a future for him alongside the pain that will always remain. We won’t suppress the sorrow – we’ll learn to live with it.”
Despite his suffering, Eli has shown nothing but gratitude. “He walks around with an Israeli flag, thanking every person he meets. He keeps saying, ‘Thank you for saving my life. Thank you for fighting for me.’ People say I saved a life, but the real hero is Eli. His only wish now is to embrace bereaved families and wounded soldiers. That’s who he is — a true angel.”
Eli, 51, was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri alongside his brother, Yossi, who was killed in captivity –likely due to an Israeli airstrike on a nearby building. While Eli was freed in the fifth round of hostage releases in the current hostage deal, Yossi’s body remains in Gaza.
Sharon has led a relentless campaign to bring them both home. At the emotional reunion at Sheba Medical Center, he was seen draped in a prayer shawl, tears streaming down his face as he embraced Eli in prayer.
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Eli Sharabi with his family, Lianne, Noya and Yahel who were murdred on October 7 by Hamas terrorists
A day after Eli’s release, Sharon issued a statement at the hospital, addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly. He reminded him of the 76 hostages still in Hamas captivity and urged him to make “brave decisions.” Quoting the biblical plea, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ Sharon emphasized, “Every passing second could mean saving a life from Hamas tunnels.”
He expressed gratitude to Netanyahu for fulfilling his promise to bring Eli home alive but stressed that “the mission is far from over.”
Sharon also called on the Israeli public: “Keep raising your voices – you are the hope of all the hostages. At this moment, we must remember our soldiers. Eli is overwhelmed with gratitude and wants to hug every single one of you. You are our light. We have no other country, and you defend it with courage. On Eli’s behalf, I say: This struggle has touched every hostage. Eli himself is living proof of the urgent need to bring them all home – immediately.”
Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, a senior Health Ministry official, commented on the conditions of Eli and the two other freed hostages, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy. She noted that the signs of starvation, humiliation and harsh captivity are impossible to hide.
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Eli Sharabi at the moving meeting with his brother Sharon and his sisters Osnat and Hila, at Sheba Hospital
(Video: Roy Avraham / GPO)
For Eli Sharabi, his release is just the beginning of a long journey toward healing. For his family, the fight continues —to recover what was lost and to ensure that no hostage is left behind.. marks of prolonged suffering – perhaps even more visibly than those freed in previous rounds.
For Eli Sharabi, his release is just the beginning of a long journey toward healing. For his family, the fight continues – to recover what was lost and to ensure that no hostage is left behind.