Hostage Survivor Eitan Horn Recounts Captivity, Cites Humanity as Key to Survival
Translated & summarized from Davar by baba
Hostage survivor Eitan Horn recounted his 738-day captivity in Gaza during a lecture in Tel Aviv. Abducted on October 7, 2023, Horn described harsh conditions, psychological torture, and the role of humor in his survival. He stated that despite his anger, the preservation of humanity in himself and in Israeli society was what brought him home. Horn was released on October 13, 2025, as part of a hostage deal.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Eitan Horn, held captive for 738 days, shared his harrowing experiences in Gaza during a lecture.
- Horn was abducted on October 7, 2023, from his brother's home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
- He described severe psychological torture and drastically reduced food and water rations.
- Horn credited his personality and humor as crucial coping mechanisms during captivity.
- He stated that the preservation of humanity was key to his survival and return.
- Horn was released on October 13, 2025, as part of the last hostage deal.
Eitan Horn, who was held captive in Gaza for 738 days, shared his experiences during a lecture titled "The Power of Ordinary People" in Tel Aviv on Monday evening. Horn was abducted from his brother Yair Horn's home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, and returned on October 13, 2025, as part of the last deal to free living hostages.
He described the harrowing journey to Gaza, where he was subjected to verbal abuse by soldiers and civilians. Horn spent two years in the Hamas tunnel network, from the northern to the southern Gaza Strip, without seeing daylight. Initially, he was held with women and children, leading him to believe a swift release was imminent. After the first hostage deal in late November 2023, when the women and children were freed, he was moved to a cell with men, and conditions worsened significantly, with daily rations reduced to 300 ml of dirty water and half a pita bread.
Horn detailed the psychological torture inflicted by his captors, who controlled every aspect of their daily lives and frequently made false promises of release. They also allegedly threatened further atrocities, telling the hostages there would be "another October 7" and advising them to leave Israel immediately upon their return. Horn credited his personality and sense of humor with helping him cope with the abuse, recounting instances where he engaged his captors in discussions about religion and used humor to deflect from his deteriorating physical condition due to malnutrition.
Despite the immense anger he feels, particularly towards "humanity that brought about what happened to us," Horn emphasized that it was the same humanity, preserved within himself and others in Israel through acts of mutual support and resilience, that ultimately facilitated his return home. The lecture was part of events commemorating October 7 in Tel Aviv.
