TEL AVIV, Israel — Enduring the harrowing conditions of Gaza, 40-year-old Tal Shoham, an Israeli citizen also holding Austrian citizenship, was haunted by the fear that each day could be his last. Throughout 505 days of captivity under Hamas, he faced threats ranging from violent guards to hunger, illness, and Israeli military strikes.
Shoham was among several hostages released in February after a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, an accord which ultimately broke down. His family, including his wife and two children, were kidnapped on October 7, 2023, alongside three other relatives, but were liberated a month later. Shoham’s ordeal involved oscillating between cramped apartments and underground tunnels, often bound, starved, and beaten, with the uncertainty of his family’s fate looming over him.
Shoham’s wife was warned by a Hamas member to remain silent about her experience or risk her husband’s life. This threat lingered as Shoham cautiously shared his story, consciously avoiding sensitive details that might compromise the remaining hostages’ safety. Currently, Israel is determined to push further into Gaza, demanding the release of 59 hostages, more than half of whom might not have survived. This situation has intensified national debate in Israel about the conflict’s trajectory and the fate of hostages. Domestic pressure steadily mounts on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concerning his management of the hostage crisis, while he is simultaneously urged by hard-line allies not to settle for anything less than the destruction of Hamas.
Captured while visiting relatives in Kibbutz Be’eri, Shoham and his family took refuge in a safe room as Hamas attacked. Encountering overwhelming force, they surrendered, a choice Shoham believes saved their lives. Shoham was transported to Gaza, uncertain of his family’s whereabouts, as Be’eri suffered severe devastation that day. Recalling a poignant moment before separation, Shoham admitted to his then 9-year-old son that he didn’t know their fate, determined not to offer false hope in what could have been their final moments.
Once across the border, Shoham faced immediate threats as a militant took position on their vehicle, demanding submission at gunpoint. Refusing to comply, Shoham resolved not to be subdued on their terms, describing the militant’s intent as murderous. Shoham’s initial place of captivity was an apartment in northern Gaza, where he was kept handcuffed for weeks.
Later, he was moved to a different location where he formed a bond with fellow captives, Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. These men were taken hostage during a music festival in southern Israel, a site of a massacre where at least 364 people were killed. Their stark recounts of captivity resonated with Shoham, making him thankful for his relatively less harsh conditions. The captives were controlled through fear, taunted, and humiliated, while meagerly surviving on one pita a day.
Under strict rules, the captives weren’t allowed to converse but managed to communicate in hushed whispers. Shoham attempted to humanize himself before the guards by learning Arabic and discussing his life in Israel, hoping it might deter his execution. One guard favored massages, an opportunity the hostages seized, providing them for food variety, including tuna and eggs.
The first news of his family’s survival reached Shoham 50 days into captivity, an update delivered via a letter from his wife—a significant morale boost. Shoham, David, and Gilboa-Dalal were shifted to a tunnel about 30 meters underground after Israel’s operation to rescue hostages from Gaza apartments. The move came following an operation that reportedly resulted in over 270 Palestinian deaths.
Inside these tunnels, conditions were dire—dimen, dark, and hard to breathe. The men shared a cramped cell, infrequently showered, and Shoham suffered a debilitating leg infection during this time. His health only improved following a visit from a doctor who administered vitamins. Shoham found emotional resilience by concentrating on the aspects he could control, applying mindfulness techniques learned from his psychologist wife, and maintaining dialogues with other hostages. He repeated daily affirmations of his eventual freedom.
Freed alongside Omer Wenkert in the last hostage release prior to the ceasefire’s end, Shoham urged strength and hope upon David and Gilboa-Dalal before parting. A subsequent distressing Hamas-released video depicted the latter two men forced to watch Shoham’s handover. Shoham is deeply concerned that time is running out for his fellow captives and calls upon the Israeli government and the international community to not entrap hostages’ release into peace negotiations or ceasefires.
Back in Israel, Shoham’s homecoming is bittersweet due to the shared trauma within his family, easing his own healing process. Freed from captivity, they’ve mourned loved ones lost on October 7, but Shoham mentions regaining weight and gradually easing back into routines like intermittent fasting. While his injury lingers, he finds gratitude in his regained freedom and avoids nightmares, finding solace in his family’s recovery journey. Hearing his children call him and his wife is a cherished reminder of their perseverance. “As a family, we’re all in the process of recovery now. But we are doing it together,” Shoham stated, emphasizing the unity and hope driving their healing.