Vivid memories of Hamas captivity haunt released hostages almost a year after Oct. 7 attacks

“Today, I’m doing more things that I didn’t used to do, rather than the things I used to do,” said Gritzewsky, 30, who spoke to NBC News ahead of the first anniversary of the attack. “I don’t bake anymore, which is my profession. I can’t handle it right now,” added Gritzewsky, who was taken captive from kibbutz Nir Oz, a small community in southwestern Israel around 2 miles from the fenced-off border with Gaza. Clockwise from top left: Moran Stela Yanai, Ilana Gritzewsky, Aviva Siegel and Agam Goldstein-Almog. Her boyfriend, Matan Zangauker, 24, was taken at the same time and remains in captivity, one of around 100 hostages still in Gaza, although around a third are believed to be dead. “Why can I hug my mom and they can’t,” said Gritzewsky, who was freed as part of an exchange for Palestinian prisoners in late November. “Why I can talk whenever I want and they can’t,” she added. “Why should I feel that I’m free if they’re not?” Gritzewsky said she took strength from holding a necklace her mother had given her a few days before the Hamas attacks in which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 people taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Health officials in the Gaza Strip say more than 41,000 people have been killed in the Israeli military offensive in the enclave since then. Gritzewsky’s memories of the day are indelible, as they are for Agam Goldstein-Almog, who was taken captive along with her mother, Chen Goldstein-Almog, 49, and her brothers Gal, 11, and Tal, 9. Yam Goldstein-Almog, 20, were killed by Hamas fighters in the safe room of their home in kibbutz Kfar Aza. “Everything happened so quickly,” Goldstein-Almog, 18, said. “From a normal, good and safe life, I suddenly found myself in a tunnel in Gaza.” The Supernova music festival site where hundreds were killed and dozens were taken by Hamas militants. “Then I made my biggest mistake,” Yanai said — she began to scream for help. “I called to the army and then the wrong group heard me,” she said. I had a different look in my eyes, but I was really proud of myself that I managed to survive this whole experience.” Aviva Siegel, 63, who was also freed as part of the exchange, said she sometimes allowed herself to think about her husband, Keith Siegel, returning home from captivity “and me jumping on him and screaming and being happy.” Like all of her fellow captives, Siegel said she would not “allow herself to lose hope because if I do, who will scream for Keith? I’m going to keep strong and I’m going to scream as loud as I can.” Almog said that since her release, she has asked herself questions and tried to recover from her ordeal. “But it’s not possible until everyone returns,” she said. – This Summarize was created by Neural News AI (V1). Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/released-hamas-hostages-share-memories-october-7-attack-rcna173509