Hostage Survivor Avinatan Or: "In Captivity, I Understood Hostage Deals Should Not Be Made at Any Price"

Avinatan Or, a survivor of Hamas captivity, has spoken extensively for the first time about his parents' opposition to a hostage deal during the war, stating that even while held by Hamas, he understood their position. Upon his return, his parents asked if he was angry with them for their stance during his captivity. Or responded that he was proud of them, explaining, "It was clear to me, hostage deals should not be made at any price." He told "Uvda" that even from captivity, he grasped the dilemma between the immediate need to save hostages and the potential long-term cost of deals that could encourage future abductions.

Or clarified that he did not view his parents' stance as abandoning him, but rather as a perspective rooted in a broader consideration for Israel's security and the dangers such deals might create. He also revealed an elaborate escape attempt he planned for months. Noticing airflow behind a sandbag wall, he secretly began digging out with improvised tools. Over about six months, he gathered intelligence from his captors, fashioned a cable tens of meters long, and prepared clothes and a bag for his escape attempt. More than a year after being kidnapped, Or managed to break free and see the sky again, but was recaptured by his captors. He reported enduring severe torture following the attempt and being held in harsh conditions for another year until his release. Despite the hardships, Or stated that he never gave up hope of returning home.