After 482 days in Hamas captivity, Agam Berger was lastly dwelling. The world first noticed her within the horrific footage from Oct. 7, 2023 – bloodied, terrified, alongside 4 different younger girls troopers kidnapped from the Nahal Oz IDF base. The terrorists paraded them by means of the streets of Gaza as trophies.
At a current ceremony, held on the Yehezkel Synagogue in Tel Aviv at a conventional meal of gratitude to God, Berger made an emotional plea to God for the 59 hostages who stay in Gaza.
“The lives and the deeds” she mentioned in a trembling voice within the Synagogue, “We received’t relaxation till all of them return.”
CEASEFIRE OVER AS ISRAEL STRIKES GAZA AFTER HAMAS REFUSED TO RELEASE HOSTAGES, OFFICIALS SAY
Agam Berger in tears as she is met by her household following her launch from Gaza as a part of the hostages for ceasefire deal. (GPO)
Her mom, Merav Berger, instructed Fox Information Digital, “I started to really feel God shaking my world.” She began maintaining the Sabbath in her daughter’s honor – lengthy earlier than she knew whether or not her daughter was alive. “We grew up conventional, however not spiritual. Agam didn’t maintain Shabbat earlier than. However in some way, she discovered God – in Gaza, of all locations.”
She mentioned what stored her daughter going was religion and identification. “They took her physique,” she instructed Israeli media, “however they couldn’t take her soul and identification.”
She and fellow hostage Liri Albag got a radio throughout their early days in captivity, and instructed in an interview to Israel public radio station, “We’d hear voices—Israelis saying that we have been price combating for. That gave us energy,” she mentioned. “However after the primary hostage rescue, they took the radio. They have been extra paranoid than ever.”
In January 2024, Hamas guards introduced them a stack of things recovered from an deserted Israeli army outpost: maps, a newspaper and a Jewish prayer e book.
Agam Berger stands with Rabbi Arieh Levin, his spouse Rebbetzin Yocheved Levin and her mom Merav on the Yechezkel Synagogue in Israel.
Agam’s mom later revealed that her daughter had dreamed of a siddur – a Jewish prayer e book – simply days earlier. “Then it arrived,” Merav mentioned. “How do you clarify that? That’s not likelihood. That’s religion.”
With that e book, she started marking Jewish time. “We had a watch at first,” she instructed Israeli public radio. “That’s how we knew when it was Shabbat, when it was Yom Kippur. I fasted. On Passover, I refused bread. I requested for corn flour—and so they introduced it. In an odd method, they revered my faith.”
FREED ISRAELI HOSTAGE SPEAKS FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT HIS 505 DAYS OF SURVIVING HAMAS HELL
Because the months dragged on, the situations worsened. Hamas guards rotated usually, she mentioned, noting that many have been merciless and others detached. She associated to the Israeli media that, “They argued with us, scolded us over small issues… we didn’t know who we might belief.”
She tried to remain hopeful, telling herself she’d be dwelling earlier than her youthful brother’s bar mitzvah. However the day got here and went. “That broke me,” she admitted in interviews. She mentioned what stored her collectively was her perception that it could finish in some way.
At the same time as rumors of a hostage deal started to flow into in early 2025, she didn’t let herself hope. “We heard individuals speaking, however we didn’t assume it could occur for us,” she mentioned.
A army parade of the Hamas terrorist group earlier than the switch of 4 Israeli feminine hostages to the Crimson Cross on Jan. 25, 2025. (TPS-IL)
On Jan. 24, Liri Elbag was taken away to movie a launch video. “They instructed her she was filming a video – however not that she was going dwelling,” Agam mentioned. “I waited for her. I had made her birthday playing cards. Then somebody instructed me, ‘Your mates are already dwelling.’”
The subsequent day, gunfire echoed within the distance. Her captors dressed her in a hijab and drove her in circles for 2 hours. “They didn’t let me take something – not our notebooks, not the drawings, nothing,” she recalled in an interview with Israeli public radio.
Agam’s absence left a gaping gap in her household, however her siblings carried her energy. Her twin sister Liyam remained within the military, even finishing officer coaching whereas Agam was nonetheless lacking. “She did it for her sister,” her mom mentioned.
Agam Berger is reunited together with her household. (Courtesy: IDF)
Bar, the youthful sister, had deliberate to not enlist. However after listening to that Agam had promised her fellow hostages she’d return to her base after her launch, Bar modified her thoughts. “Three days after Agam got here dwelling, she graduated from her unit,” the Bergers’ mom recalled. “She needed her to hold it ahead.”
Now again dwelling, Agam is surrounded by pals, guests and countless consideration. However she’s not at peace – not while others remain in captivity.
Within the synagogue this week, Agam made that decision loudly and publicly. “We received’t relaxation,” she mentioned, “till each soul – dwelling or lifeless – comes dwelling.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
As her mom put it: “That is the Jewish mission. There’s nothing extra sacred. It’s our proper to exist – and our rebirth as a individuals – relies on it.
“God introduced Agam dwelling,” her mom mentioned. “Now we now have an obligation to convey the others again too.”
Source link