Hostage Survivor Avinatan Or Opposed Deal Even While Captive

Avinatan Or, a survivor of Hamas captivity, revealed in a television interview that he opposed a hostage deal that could have led to his release if it meant others would be abducted in the future. Speaking on the program "Uvda" with Ilana Dayan, Or explained his perspective during his time in captivity, stating that even when aware of a potential deal, he believed it should not be accepted at any cost.

Or recounted seeing protests for the hostages' release on television once while held captive, noting that he knew his parents were not participating. He described the dilemma as a conflict between saving lives immediately versus ensuring future safety. "It was clear to me that if we made a deal now, I would get out of here, but later someone else would sit in my place," he said.

This stance, he emphasized, persisted even while he was a captive. "It was clear to me that we shouldn't make a deal at any price. That Israel needs to emerge victorious from this war," Or stated. He even described telling one of his captors that he was prepared to remain captive for an extended period, saying, "I told my captor: I'll stay here a day, two days, a year, two years, even ten years. In the end, you'll realize I'm not worth it to you, and that will be the victory."

Or also shared a personal prayer during his captivity on the 70th day, addressing God and acknowledging his own shortcomings while requesting divine intervention for his release, referencing the commandment to honor parents. Upon his return, his parents expressed hope he wasn't angry with them. Or responded with pride, telling them, "I'm not angry with you, I'm proud of you. My parents fought for me like crazy."