Former hostage Romi Gonen revealed in an emotional interview with singer Ishay Ribo that his song “Tocho Ratzuf Ahava” became a source of comfort and strength for her during her time in captivity in Gaza.

The conversation took place on Gonen’s program, “The New Life of Romi Gonen,” which airs on the V1 app. During the interview, she described the powerful emotions she experienced when she finally heard the song after many months in captivity, saying it immediately brought thoughts of her mother to mind.

Gonen explained that throughout the long period she was held hostage, she constantly hoped the song would eventually come on the radio whenever captives were briefly allowed to listen.

“Something in me was always waiting to hear ‘Tocho Ratzuf Ahava’ whenever we listened to the radio,” Gonen told Ribo during their conversation in the studio.

She then recounted the moment the song finally aired, nearly a year after she had been taken captive.

“Then it came, almost a year later, during the week of October 7. By chance they brought us a radio, and suddenly I woke up when Emily shouted to me, ‘Lula, “Tocho Ratzuf Ahava” is on the radio.’”

According to Gonen, she immediately rushed over to listen, placing both headphones on her ears as the music momentarily transported her away from the suffering and fear around her.

She said the song instantly connected her to memories of her mother. “For one moment, just to be inside it, inside the situation, as if I’m not in Gaza and my mother is here with me – that’s her ringtone.”

Ribo appeared deeply emotional after hearing her story and shared what the song represented to him in the context of her ordeal. He said the lyrics reflect Divine compassion and explained how meaningful it was to hear that the music had offered her comfort during such darkness.

“It moves me very much,” Ribo responded. “The words speak about G-d’s infinite mercy toward us. And from your place – anyone who hasn’t experienced this cannot even imagine it, because we have no human ability to truly understand it – that you are there and these words give you strength. Yes, they remind you of your mother, but in essence you feel protected and strengthened by it.”

Ribo concluded by expressing amazement that a song could bring hope and emotional light during such unbearable circumstances.

“If you hadn’t told me this, I could never have imagined that a song like this, at such a difficult and dark moment, could bring light.”