Woman Held Hostage by Hamas Writes of Missing Husband Who Died After Trauma
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Rachel Edri, known as "Rachel from Ofakim" after being held hostage on October 7th, published a letter expressing her deep longing for her husband David, who died in February 2024, likely due to trauma from the event. She described how the attack impacted him and how she continues to miss him in everyday moments, despite moving forward with her life. The couple was held for 19 hours by Hamas terrorists in their home.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rachel Edri published a letter expressing her longing for her husband David, who died after the October 7th attack.
- She described how the trauma of being held hostage for 19 hours by Hamas affected her husband.
- David Edri passed away in February 2024, with family citing trauma as a likely cause.
- Rachel Edri, a symbol of the October 7th events, served coffee and cookies to terrorists during the hostage situation.
- She wrote that while she continues to live her life, a part of her wishes her husband was still by her side.
Three years after the October 7th Hamas attacks, Rachel Edri, who became known as "Rachel from Ofakim" and a symbol of that day, published a letter expressing her longing for her late husband, David. "Everyone tells me I am strong," she wrote, "but today I don't want to be strong. Today I just miss my husband."
Rachel and David were held hostage in their Ofakim home for about 19 hours by Hamas terrorists. Rachel's story, in which she served the terrorists coffee and cookies to buy time, became known throughout Israel. However, in February 2024, David, 68, passed away. Family members stated at the time that in the months preceding his death, they noticed a deterioration in his condition, likely due to the traumatic event.
In her letter, Rachel reflected on the days after the attack. "I thought that if we came out alive, we had won," she wrote. "I didn't know then that the body can leave the inferno, but the soul remains trapped there." She described what she saw in her husband after that day: "I saw how much you tried to return to yourself, how much you tried to continue as if everything was fine. But I also saw how hard it was for you."
"October 7th took so much from us," she wrote, "even if it happened a few months later." She described her longing through small moments. "There are days I still want to tell you something that happened. There are moments I look for you beside me out of habit," she wrote. "Sometimes I even just want to sit with you at home, without talking, like before." She described David as "the man who was my home for so many years."
Alongside the pain, Rachel stated that she continues to move forward. "I smile, I travel, I meet people, I hug, I tell our story and try to do good," she wrote. "But everywhere I go, there is a part of me that wishes you were there beside me. I miss you today more than ever."
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