Hostage Survivor Avinatan Or Details Escape Attempt and Views on Deal

Hostage survivor Avinatan Or revealed details of his captivity and escape attempt in an interview with journalist Ilana Dayan on the program "Uvda." Or described his prolonged efforts to escape from a Hamas tunnel where he was held alone for months. He also discussed his stance on hostage deals and shared a surprising conversation with one of his captors.

Or recounted how he extracted information about the tunnel's location from one of his captors, referred to as "Abo Atan," by having him draw a map of Gaza. Through this conversation, Or deduced he was in the narrowest part of the Gaza Strip. He also shared a chilling statement from another captor, "Abo Hassan," who warned that Hamas would repeat the October 7th atrocities.

Reflecting on his experience, Or stated, "If you were born in the State of Israel, there's a good chance you would serve in the IDF, and if I were born in the Gaza Strip, there's a chance I would join Hamas." He clarified these remarks were made before he learned of the October 7th atrocities.

Regarding hostage negotiations, Or expressed pride in his parents' stance, stating, "It was clear to me that a hostage deal should not be made at any price." This contrasts with his mother's plea to avoid prioritizing certain hostages over others. Or also commented on his breakup with his former partner, Noa Argamani, with whom he was abducted, saying, "Things that fit then, didn't fit today. I continue to dance and that's the most important thing."