Hostage Survivor Eli Sharabi Opens Up About New Love After Hamas Captivity

Eli Sharabi, who was held captive by Hamas for 491 days, has spoken about his new relationship in a forthcoming interview with Omri Asenheim on Channel 13. Sharabi, 53, revealed that he has found "great love" and has been in the relationship for six months. He explained that he wasn't actively seeking love after his ordeal, but that it "just happened." Sharabi was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7, 2023. His wife, Lian, and daughters, Noya and Yahil, were murdered in the attack, a fact he learned only after his release in February 2025. His brother, Yossi, was also abducted and killed in captivity.

This personal revelation comes nearly a year after Sharabi requested privacy from the media regarding his personal life. In November 2025, after news emerged of his separation from his then-partner Yara Crispel, he stated in an interview that he did not wish to be in the spotlight and asked not to have his private life discussed. The couple had been publicly seen together shortly before that announcement.

Despite the immense loss he has suffered, Sharabi had previously expressed his openness to finding love again. In June 2025, he stated, "There will definitely be. I am a person who wants a relationship, I love life." In the new interview, Sharabi also described the qualities he seeks in a partner, emphasizing the need for someone who will be a "true partner" and who will "truly know the real Eli Sharabi," unperturbed by his public persona.

Sharabi, who has become a prominent figure in Israel since his release, acknowledged in a joint interview with fellow hostage survivor Alon Ahl last October that he and Ahl did not anticipate becoming so well-known. However, he maintained that he remains the same person underneath the public attention and his harrowing experience, stating, "I haven't changed at all, the situation has changed, but Eli remains Eli." While he had previously confirmed he was in a relationship without revealing details, he is now sharing more about his feelings without disclosing his partner's identity, highlighting a desire to return to life and be loved for who he is, beyond his widely known story.