Former hostage Avinatan Or says that even while imprisoned in Gaza, he opposed securing his freedom through an agreement that could encourage future kidnappings, believing Israel needed to emerge victorious from the war.

In an interview, Or recalled seeing televised demonstrations demanding the hostages’ release. He said he was certain his parents were not participating in those protests.

“The debate was over matters of life and death, whether you save lives now or protect lives in the future,” he said. “It was clear to me that if we made a deal then, I would be released, but later, someone else would be sitting in my place.”

Or stressed that this was a conviction he held while still in captivity, despite knowing that an agreement could bring him home.

“It was clear to me that we shouldn’t make a deal at any cost. Israel needed to emerge victorious from this war,” he said.

He also described telling one of his captors that he was prepared to remain imprisoned for an extended period rather than serve as a bargaining chip.

“I told my captor: I’ll stay here for a day, two days, a year, two years, even ten years. Eventually, you’ll understand that I’m not worth holding, and that will be the victory.”

Or also recounted a deeply personal conversation with Hashem on his 70th day in captivity.

He said he acknowledged that he had not spoken to Hashem in seven years and felt hypocritical asking for help, particularly because he worried he might again forget Him after being freed.

Or then appealed to the Torah’s mitzvah of honoring one’s parents and its accompanying promise of long life. He said he had tried to honor his parents even before October 7 and asked Hashem to fulfill that promise.

Describing his reunion with his parents, Or said their first words to him left a lasting impression.

“When they saw me, they said, ‘We hope you’re not angry with us.’ I answered them, ‘I’m not angry with you. I’m proud of you.’”

“My parents fought for me like crazy,” he added.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)