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חטוף
491 יום שרד אלי שרעבי בשבי החמאס, לאחר שנחטף מביתו וממשפחתו בקיבוץ בארי בבוקר שבעה באוקטובר 2023.
ביצירה סוחפת ועוצרת נשימה, פורש אלי בגוף ראשון, בכנות ובגובה העיניים את קורותיו כחטוף, מהיום שהופרד בכוח מאשתו, מבנותיו ומחייו הקודמים, ועד לחזרתו, עטוף בדגל, הביתה.
זהו סיפור על ימי רעב וחושך, על כאבי גוף ועל כאבי לב, על געגוע, בדידות וחוסר אונים המאיימים לכלות את הנפש.
זהו גם סיפור על רוח האדם, על הכוח שבה, על האומץ שבה. סיפור על רעות, על ביחד שמתרקם במאמץ במנהרות נטולות אוויר, על אופטימיות ואמונה ועל היכולת לבחור בחיים.
אלי שרעבי, חבר קיבוץ בארי, נולד ב־1972 בתל אביב. בוגר תואר ראשון בכלכלה וניהול ו־MBA מאוניברסיטת בן־גוריון. בין תפקידיו היה גזבר קיבוץ בארי, מרכז המשק ודירקטור. באוקטובר 2023 עבד כמנהל כספים בקרן ההשקעות אירידיום.
( דאנאקוד 13861153 )
ביצירה סוחפת ועוצרת נשימה, פורש אלי בגוף ראשון, בכנות ובגובה העיניים את קורותיו כחטוף, מהיום שהופרד בכוח מאשתו, מבנותיו ומחייו הקודמים, ועד לחזרתו, עטוף בדגל, הביתה.
זהו סיפור על ימי רעב וחושך, על כאבי גוף ועל כאבי לב, על געגוע, בדידות וחוסר אונים המאיימים לכלות את הנפש.
זהו גם סיפור על רוח האדם, על הכוח שבה, על האומץ שבה. סיפור על רעות, על ביחד שמתרקם במאמץ במנהרות נטולות אוויר, על אופטימיות ואמונה ועל היכולת לבחור בחיים.
אלי שרעבי, חבר קיבוץ בארי, נולד ב־1972 בתל אביב. בוגר תואר ראשון בכלכלה וניהול ו־MBA מאוניברסיטת בן־גוריון. בין תפקידיו היה גזבר קיבוץ בארי, מרכז המשק ודירקטור. באוקטובר 2023 עבד כמנהל כספים בקרן ההשקעות אירידיום.
( דאנאקוד 13861153 )
237 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2025
905 people are currently reading
6725 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 677 reviews
December 20, 2025
As I was reading this autobiographical account, “Hostage” written by Eli Sharabi about his captivity by Hamas terrorists, another ceasefire was announced. Although the terrorists promised to release all of the hostages—both living and deceased—within 72 hours as part of the ceasefire desl, Hamas violated the agreement and only released the living. The next day, the Israeli’s received four bodies. Among them was Sharabi’s brother, Yossi. To date, Hamas still has not returned the remaining hostages.
Eli Sharabi’s account is heartbreaking. What is equally heartbreaking is the absolute ignorance of both the terrorists and the Palestinian population that they’ve abused and brainwashed since 2005. Even now while Hamas are mass executing their own people for so-called collusion, Westerners continue to turn a blind eye to the facts—the same facts that Sharabi laid bare in his autobiography; the same facts that Hamas **wrote down** in their own charter: Hamas is NOT a nationalist movement. It is a religious extremist movement whose goal is a worldwide caliphate.
All one has to do is go online and read an English-language version of Hamas’ charter. It’s not about “Palestine”; it’s about global terrorism. However, it’s much easier for some—and requires far less education and brain power—to cherry pick what one **thinks** Hamas says. It’s also easier to follow a leader blindly based on what a leader chooses to tell their would-be followers than to conduct in-depth research on one’s own or learning to think critically rather than parroting someone else’s talking points. Hamas aren’t “freedom fighters”—they’re terrorists, and I’m saying this as a woke, politically correct, non-religious, educated anthropologist with a PhD who votes as a progressive Democrat. Incidentally, this is also why the Egyptians have fortified their own borders with Gaza—to prevent Hamas ideology from infiltrating Egyptian society.
Sharabi came face-to-face not just with depraved murderers and kidnappers, but also with the parrots, most of whom have been inundated with racist rhetoric for the past 20 years, courtesy of the United Nations and the countries who funded the school textbooks in Gaza (visit MEMRI online for some examples). This doesn’t mean that Israelis and the Israeli government have acted perfectly during this time—far from it. What it **is** saying is that Hamas sees only in black-and-white, and Sharabi comments on this profusely throughout the book. And it is this tunnel vision (no pun intended) that has seeped out into the United States and beyond.
This book is more than just a book about one man’s survival. It in fact provides real-life examples of Hamas depravity. For example, starvation. People are furious that Ben Gvir ordered less food—a starvation diet—for Palestinian prisoners, but conveniently ignore the fact that Hamas was **already** starving Israeli hostages BEFORE he did this. Does this justify Ben Gvir’s actions? NO—it was and remains 100% wrong. But you can’t cherry pick what you like and leave out what doesn’t align with your narrative. In fact, Sharabi discussed his situation both before Ben Gvir’s announcement and after, and through it all, he starved.
It is a miracle that Eli Sharabi survived captivity at all; whether he continues to survive his experiences as a free man remains to be seen. And it will be a miracle if cherry-picking support for Hamas terrorism also dissipates, yet that would require universities to begin teaching students how to think critically instead of solely relying on the biased opinions of others.
Eli Sharabi’s account is heartbreaking. What is equally heartbreaking is the absolute ignorance of both the terrorists and the Palestinian population that they’ve abused and brainwashed since 2005. Even now while Hamas are mass executing their own people for so-called collusion, Westerners continue to turn a blind eye to the facts—the same facts that Sharabi laid bare in his autobiography; the same facts that Hamas **wrote down** in their own charter: Hamas is NOT a nationalist movement. It is a religious extremist movement whose goal is a worldwide caliphate.
All one has to do is go online and read an English-language version of Hamas’ charter. It’s not about “Palestine”; it’s about global terrorism. However, it’s much easier for some—and requires far less education and brain power—to cherry pick what one **thinks** Hamas says. It’s also easier to follow a leader blindly based on what a leader chooses to tell their would-be followers than to conduct in-depth research on one’s own or learning to think critically rather than parroting someone else’s talking points. Hamas aren’t “freedom fighters”—they’re terrorists, and I’m saying this as a woke, politically correct, non-religious, educated anthropologist with a PhD who votes as a progressive Democrat. Incidentally, this is also why the Egyptians have fortified their own borders with Gaza—to prevent Hamas ideology from infiltrating Egyptian society.
Sharabi came face-to-face not just with depraved murderers and kidnappers, but also with the parrots, most of whom have been inundated with racist rhetoric for the past 20 years, courtesy of the United Nations and the countries who funded the school textbooks in Gaza (visit MEMRI online for some examples). This doesn’t mean that Israelis and the Israeli government have acted perfectly during this time—far from it. What it **is** saying is that Hamas sees only in black-and-white, and Sharabi comments on this profusely throughout the book. And it is this tunnel vision (no pun intended) that has seeped out into the United States and beyond.
This book is more than just a book about one man’s survival. It in fact provides real-life examples of Hamas depravity. For example, starvation. People are furious that Ben Gvir ordered less food—a starvation diet—for Palestinian prisoners, but conveniently ignore the fact that Hamas was **already** starving Israeli hostages BEFORE he did this. Does this justify Ben Gvir’s actions? NO—it was and remains 100% wrong. But you can’t cherry pick what you like and leave out what doesn’t align with your narrative. In fact, Sharabi discussed his situation both before Ben Gvir’s announcement and after, and through it all, he starved.
It is a miracle that Eli Sharabi survived captivity at all; whether he continues to survive his experiences as a free man remains to be seen. And it will be a miracle if cherry-picking support for Hamas terrorism also dissipates, yet that would require universities to begin teaching students how to think critically instead of solely relying on the biased opinions of others.
Read
November 5, 2025This book is a breathtaking and deeply moving memoir. Written with disarming honesty and tremendous courage, it offers a rare, unfiltered window into the horrors Eli endured. And yet, what shines through every page is his unwavering hope, inner strength, and the powerful reminder that even in the darkest moments, we always have the power to choose how to face them. Sharabi’s resilience is nothing short of inspiring. This is a story that stays with you long after you finish reading.
I truly hope this important book will soon be translated into more languages — English, German, Italian and others — so that many more readers around the world can be touched by his remarkable story.
I truly hope this important book will soon be translated into more languages — English, German, Italian and others — so that many more readers around the world can be touched by his remarkable story.
October 8, 2025
Heartbreaking and brave. I pre-ordered this book online and read it in its entirety today, the second anniversary of the terrible attack on Israel. Eli Sharabi is a hero. His strength during the worst time of his life, and one of the worst atrocities ever inflicted on the Jewish people, helps him and so many other others survive. Dear God, please help the rest of the hostages to freedom as soon as possible.
October 20, 2025
I’ve mentioned more than once that my father was a survivor of the Holocaust, and he would talk about his experiences at home and with others, increasingly as he got older and Holocaust deniers became bolder. Listening to his story of survival made something very clear to me as I got older and began to understand my father as a man, especially once I began working in mental health—he was able to survive some of the most extreme trauma by divorcing himself from emotions. When every cell is focused on survival, there isn’t much time or energy left for feeling emotions. As I was reading this, we were anxiously awaiting the news that the last hostages in Gaza were released under the terms of the existing ceasefire. The living hostages have been released, but the deceased hostages are being released slowly, with a maximum of excuses.
I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this—I’ve read many Holocaust memoirs, but this is a whole new rodeo and Sharabi breaks new ground with his memoir of 491 days in Hamas captivity, in the heart of Gaza. I knew I needed to read this book, although October 7, 2023 was a horrific day for Jews in both Israel and the diaspora around the world. Much like the day September 11, 2001 has personal meaning for me, so does the October 7th attack. I have family in Israel, and being part of such a small minority group means that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. Despite not knowing any of the hostages personally, the names are familiar in our household and feel like they are family to us.
Eli starts retelling his story from the morning of October 7th, at his home in Kibbutz Be’eri, a community not too far from the Gaza border. Awakened by sirens, they head to the family’s bomb shelter—a shelter designed to keep the family safe from rockets, not a terrorist infiltration. Eli somehow keeps his wits about him and switches his emotions off when terrorists enter the house. Having spoken about it beforehand and made the decision not to fight back, Eli is forced onto a motorbike and brought to Gaza. When he left, his wife and two daughters were shouting ‘British passports!’ to show that they weren’t just Israeli, but also citizens of England. Convinced that they wouldn’t knowingly harm his wife and daughters, he immediately focuses on getting back home to Lianne, Noiya, and Yahel.
Coming from a Yemenite/Moroccan Jewish family, Sharabi was fluent in Arabic, and could understand everything that the terrorists were saying. He was able to speak to them, and effectively communicate with nearly all of the other hostages he was kept with, except one—a Thai worker. Even so, he still tried to put others at ease to the best of his abilities, and even took on a parental role when interacting with other hostages. Sharabi was able to identify the exact moment when his thinking changed, after being kidnapped.
“There is no more regular Eli. From now on I am Eli the survivor.”
His entire being was fixed on returning home to Lianne, Noiya, and Yahel. Hamas terrorists knew that his family had been murdered and used that to psychologically torture him; telling him that his wife and daughters were on television advocating for his release turned out to be the very thing that kept him going throughout his grueling 491 days of physical and psychological torture and intentional starvation while his captors freely ate in front of them.
Eli is able to relay his traumatic experiences with candor, using short, snappy sentences. He was initially kept in a house in Gaza for 52 days, but then was dragged down into the bowels of Gaza’s terror tunnel system. He was kept with other hostages some of the time, allowing him to mentor them and give them motivation to survive. Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was kept with him for part of the time, gave him a quote he used regularly:
“He who has a why can bear any how.”
That is exactly how Sharabi endured beatings, torture, psychological torture, isolation, unimaginably unsanitary conditions, and starvation: by focusing on returning home to his family. He only found out they were dead when he was released and back in Israel, along with learning what had happened to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, and Almog Sarusi. Additionally, Sharabi’s brother Yossi was also taken hostage to Gaza, where he was later murdered.
I was concerned about the content, but Sharabi really focuses more on the strength that got him through, that indomitable spirit that pushed him to survive and not give up. Readers are given enough detail that we can imagine ourselves with him in the hot tunnel with open sewage, no food, and no water, struggling to breathe. He said it was his worst fear, going into the tunnels of Gaza, but he didn’t have a choice in remaining in the tunnels for the rest of his captivity.
It wasn’t until Sharabi’s well-publicized release arrives that I broke down—knowing that he endured for almost 500 days for his wife and daughters, only to learn that they were killed on that horrible day. He discusses his complex feelings about his Hamas captors, knowing that they are his enemy and want to eliminate the Jews around the world (see the Hamas charter article 7), yet also knowing that they are the only thing that is standing between them and the mobs of Gazans ready to tear him limb from limb with their bare hands. It isn’t Stockholm syndrome, more of a knowledge that although Hamas terrorists are the ones who put his life at risk, he needs them around to ensure his safety, especially during his abduction to Gaza amidst the chaos of October 7th, and particularly as he is being released and forced to participate in an outrageous ‘ceremony.’
Overall, this is an outstanding memoir and an important read. It isn’t easy, but it is essential to know about these events so we can celebrate the survivors and honor the murdered, and the audiobook is only about 5 hours (about 200 pages or so). Sharabi’s emotions start to show up again once he is freed, grieving his wife, daughters, brother, and all the friends from within his community, as well as those murdered in the tunnels. Instead of trying to put the past behind him, Sharabi has tirelessly advocated for other hostages to be released, even seeking out the family members of hostages he was with while being kept hostage. Now that the living hostages have been freed, Israelis and Jews around the world have shifted our attention to getting the remaining deceased hostages back to mourn. It will only be then that we can move on from this and start to rebuild shattered lives and communities. I can only hope that Sharabi’s iron will and unshakable steadfastness will serve him well in the future. I’m not sure how people can come back from something like this, but as a people, Jews are resilient and strong. We’ve overcome everything life and antisemites have thrown at us, and we still stand together. It’s the way we come together in hard times, rather than letting the world separate us, that has worked to ensure our survival in a world where hate rises in every generation.
I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this—I’ve read many Holocaust memoirs, but this is a whole new rodeo and Sharabi breaks new ground with his memoir of 491 days in Hamas captivity, in the heart of Gaza. I knew I needed to read this book, although October 7, 2023 was a horrific day for Jews in both Israel and the diaspora around the world. Much like the day September 11, 2001 has personal meaning for me, so does the October 7th attack. I have family in Israel, and being part of such a small minority group means that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. Despite not knowing any of the hostages personally, the names are familiar in our household and feel like they are family to us.
Eli starts retelling his story from the morning of October 7th, at his home in Kibbutz Be’eri, a community not too far from the Gaza border. Awakened by sirens, they head to the family’s bomb shelter—a shelter designed to keep the family safe from rockets, not a terrorist infiltration. Eli somehow keeps his wits about him and switches his emotions off when terrorists enter the house. Having spoken about it beforehand and made the decision not to fight back, Eli is forced onto a motorbike and brought to Gaza. When he left, his wife and two daughters were shouting ‘British passports!’ to show that they weren’t just Israeli, but also citizens of England. Convinced that they wouldn’t knowingly harm his wife and daughters, he immediately focuses on getting back home to Lianne, Noiya, and Yahel.
Coming from a Yemenite/Moroccan Jewish family, Sharabi was fluent in Arabic, and could understand everything that the terrorists were saying. He was able to speak to them, and effectively communicate with nearly all of the other hostages he was kept with, except one—a Thai worker. Even so, he still tried to put others at ease to the best of his abilities, and even took on a parental role when interacting with other hostages. Sharabi was able to identify the exact moment when his thinking changed, after being kidnapped.
“There is no more regular Eli. From now on I am Eli the survivor.”
His entire being was fixed on returning home to Lianne, Noiya, and Yahel. Hamas terrorists knew that his family had been murdered and used that to psychologically torture him; telling him that his wife and daughters were on television advocating for his release turned out to be the very thing that kept him going throughout his grueling 491 days of physical and psychological torture and intentional starvation while his captors freely ate in front of them.
Eli is able to relay his traumatic experiences with candor, using short, snappy sentences. He was initially kept in a house in Gaza for 52 days, but then was dragged down into the bowels of Gaza’s terror tunnel system. He was kept with other hostages some of the time, allowing him to mentor them and give them motivation to survive. Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was kept with him for part of the time, gave him a quote he used regularly:
“He who has a why can bear any how.”
That is exactly how Sharabi endured beatings, torture, psychological torture, isolation, unimaginably unsanitary conditions, and starvation: by focusing on returning home to his family. He only found out they were dead when he was released and back in Israel, along with learning what had happened to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, and Almog Sarusi. Additionally, Sharabi’s brother Yossi was also taken hostage to Gaza, where he was later murdered.
I was concerned about the content, but Sharabi really focuses more on the strength that got him through, that indomitable spirit that pushed him to survive and not give up. Readers are given enough detail that we can imagine ourselves with him in the hot tunnel with open sewage, no food, and no water, struggling to breathe. He said it was his worst fear, going into the tunnels of Gaza, but he didn’t have a choice in remaining in the tunnels for the rest of his captivity.
It wasn’t until Sharabi’s well-publicized release arrives that I broke down—knowing that he endured for almost 500 days for his wife and daughters, only to learn that they were killed on that horrible day. He discusses his complex feelings about his Hamas captors, knowing that they are his enemy and want to eliminate the Jews around the world (see the Hamas charter article 7), yet also knowing that they are the only thing that is standing between them and the mobs of Gazans ready to tear him limb from limb with their bare hands. It isn’t Stockholm syndrome, more of a knowledge that although Hamas terrorists are the ones who put his life at risk, he needs them around to ensure his safety, especially during his abduction to Gaza amidst the chaos of October 7th, and particularly as he is being released and forced to participate in an outrageous ‘ceremony.’
Overall, this is an outstanding memoir and an important read. It isn’t easy, but it is essential to know about these events so we can celebrate the survivors and honor the murdered, and the audiobook is only about 5 hours (about 200 pages or so). Sharabi’s emotions start to show up again once he is freed, grieving his wife, daughters, brother, and all the friends from within his community, as well as those murdered in the tunnels. Instead of trying to put the past behind him, Sharabi has tirelessly advocated for other hostages to be released, even seeking out the family members of hostages he was with while being kept hostage. Now that the living hostages have been freed, Israelis and Jews around the world have shifted our attention to getting the remaining deceased hostages back to mourn. It will only be then that we can move on from this and start to rebuild shattered lives and communities. I can only hope that Sharabi’s iron will and unshakable steadfastness will serve him well in the future. I’m not sure how people can come back from something like this, but as a people, Jews are resilient and strong. We’ve overcome everything life and antisemites have thrown at us, and we still stand together. It’s the way we come together in hard times, rather than letting the world separate us, that has worked to ensure our survival in a world where hate rises in every generation.
October 8, 2025
It feels weird to rate this story, but it’s the one of the most important ones that can be told. None of us are free until all the hostages are free. I will be fighting/praying harder for Alon Ohel’s release 🎗️🇮🇱
October 7, 2025
liar. wow. such incredible liar. now do you know how israel treats there prisoners ? oh my its 1000x worse than what you state hamas ever treated you
December 10, 2025
I can not find the words to describe this book.
I met him and could not speak.
I met him and could not speak.
October 16, 2025
HOSTAGE. By Eli Sharabi.
At 4 am this morning I finished a book by the bravest man I know, 53 year old Eli Sharabi. A man taken so brutally away from his wife and two daughters on October 7 from their home on Kibbutz Be’eri. For 491 days Eli survived pure hell in Gaza, spending most of his time in underground tunnels. He became a mentor for the few young men in the tunnels, who were also enduring unimaginable suffering. To read about his wisdom, his courage, his determination and his ability to encourage those around him to keep up their strength and will to live, was so incredibly inspiring. At times when reading his story I often thought of Dr Eva Eger and her book The Choice, two very different stories but two remarkably brave heroes who certainly had the same inner strength to survive.
Eli, I am so sad for your profound losses. No human should ever have to endure your pain. Yet you have shown the world you will always speak up to tell your story. I hope writing this remarkable book has been cathartic for you, as you so bravely live each day with unimaginably painful experiences , trying to move forward and live your best life. Please know you are a hero to us all. A book that should be read by every single person in the whole wide world. An outstanding, horrendous, yet uplifting account of one man’s experience as a hostage survivor.
At 4 am this morning I finished a book by the bravest man I know, 53 year old Eli Sharabi. A man taken so brutally away from his wife and two daughters on October 7 from their home on Kibbutz Be’eri. For 491 days Eli survived pure hell in Gaza, spending most of his time in underground tunnels. He became a mentor for the few young men in the tunnels, who were also enduring unimaginable suffering. To read about his wisdom, his courage, his determination and his ability to encourage those around him to keep up their strength and will to live, was so incredibly inspiring. At times when reading his story I often thought of Dr Eva Eger and her book The Choice, two very different stories but two remarkably brave heroes who certainly had the same inner strength to survive.
Eli, I am so sad for your profound losses. No human should ever have to endure your pain. Yet you have shown the world you will always speak up to tell your story. I hope writing this remarkable book has been cathartic for you, as you so bravely live each day with unimaginably painful experiences , trying to move forward and live your best life. Please know you are a hero to us all. A book that should be read by every single person in the whole wide world. An outstanding, horrendous, yet uplifting account of one man’s experience as a hostage survivor.
October 7, 2025
Absolutely stunning! Hauntingly breathtaking. A devastatingly detailed account of the terror Eli experienced, both during captivity and when he returned home. Not to be missed!
August 4, 2025
Unbelievable TRUE story of strength and heartbreak. This is a must read for everyone! We owe it to every hostage to hear their story
October 10, 2025
4.5 Unforgettable stars.
What's it about? This is Eli Sharabi's true story of being kidnapped and held captive by Hamas after the October 7 attacks in Israel. It follows his struggle to survive, his memories of family, and the small acts of courage and wisdom that helped him endure horrifying conditions.
Best bits: Even in the worst conditions, Sharabi shows how people can still support each other. He shares small moments of kindness, jokes, or courage that helped him and the other hostages stay human. It’s not just a survival story — it’s about finding meaning and dignity when everything else is stripped away.
Also, this is a first-person account. Sharabi actually lived through this nightmare as a hostage and his account is raw and real and powerful. The way he describes what he saw, smelled, and felt helps us to almost feel the hunger, fear, and darkness with him.
Worst bits: This not so much a 'worst bit' as it is a natural limitation of the genre:
Because it’s a personal memoir, it doesn’t really explore what was happening outside his situation or how others might have seen things. If you want a full picture of the political or historical background, this book doesn’t go into that. It is driven by feelings — fear, grief, and hope — rather than deep discussion about the bigger issues behind the conflict.
Recommended for:
Readers aged 15 + who are interested in real-life survival stories, war experiences, or human resilience. If you liked Night by Elie Wiesel, you’ll probably find Hostage powerful and worth reading, too.
"I always choose life..."
What's it about? This is Eli Sharabi's true story of being kidnapped and held captive by Hamas after the October 7 attacks in Israel. It follows his struggle to survive, his memories of family, and the small acts of courage and wisdom that helped him endure horrifying conditions.
Best bits: Even in the worst conditions, Sharabi shows how people can still support each other. He shares small moments of kindness, jokes, or courage that helped him and the other hostages stay human. It’s not just a survival story — it’s about finding meaning and dignity when everything else is stripped away.
Also, this is a first-person account. Sharabi actually lived through this nightmare as a hostage and his account is raw and real and powerful. The way he describes what he saw, smelled, and felt helps us to almost feel the hunger, fear, and darkness with him.
Worst bits: This not so much a 'worst bit' as it is a natural limitation of the genre:
Because it’s a personal memoir, it doesn’t really explore what was happening outside his situation or how others might have seen things. If you want a full picture of the political or historical background, this book doesn’t go into that. It is driven by feelings — fear, grief, and hope — rather than deep discussion about the bigger issues behind the conflict.
Recommended for:
Readers aged 15 + who are interested in real-life survival stories, war experiences, or human resilience. If you liked Night by Elie Wiesel, you’ll probably find Hostage powerful and worth reading, too.
October 8, 2025
I have no words for this book. Eli you are an amazing man and my wish for you is to keep on being as strong as you are. Thank you for sharing this deeply personal story.
October 21, 2025
A propaganda piece disguised as a memoir. One man’s story weaponized to erase context, justify occupation, and dehumanize Palestinians. Avoid at all costs.
If you want truth and history, read Rashid Khalidi, Susan Abulhawa, Ilan Pappé, or Noam Chomsky instead.
If you want truth and history, read Rashid Khalidi, Susan Abulhawa, Ilan Pappé, or Noam Chomsky instead.
July 24, 2025
There are no words to describe the strength of eli sharabi. This is a must read book to bear witness to the horrors of those who have been taken and killed on 7.10.23.
November 2, 2025
4.5 stars
This is a memoir by one of the Israeli hostages who was kidnapped by Hamas. In Israel, it's the fastest selling book in the country's history, and it hit the New York Times bestseller list here in the US as well.
Eli Sharabi was held by Hamas in their tunnels for most of his captivity, which lasted 491 days. His is a story of survival but also more than that, a story of wanting to live, of finding a reason to live and clinging to it. One of his reasons was a goal of keeping his fellow hostages, three younger men, alive, especially twenty-two year old Alon Ohel, a sensitive musician. Sharabi, fifty-three, worried that Alon wouldn't survive without some mentoring, and took the younger man under his wing.
Because Sharabi comes from a Yemenite and Moroccan background, he was fluent in Arabic even before his kidnapping, and so he was able to communicate with his captors. One of the good things in the book is that while Sharabi hates them and is very clear on the fact that he will never forgive them for kidnapping him and taking him away from his wife and two daughters, he also humanizes them. They aren't faceless men.
One, for example, is as loving to his children on the phone as he is cruel to the hostages. Another wants the others to maintain professionalism and decorum. A few sneak extra food to the hostages, who are being systematically starved, but only when no one is looking. In the company of their fellows, the same men mistreat and abuse them.
Early on in the book, Eli spends three days in the company of the late Hersh Goldberg-Polin and two other young men. Hersh tells him that "He who has the why can bear any how," and this becomes one of Eli's guiding principles. He refuses to believe that he won't survive, or return to his wife and daughters who must surely be waiting for him.
I agree with the two reviewers who said that the translation leaves a little to be desired. The prose is a bit simple and the translation occasionally felt like a putting a shiny veneer over a jagged stone. I don’t know how else to describe it, but I could feel the translator hamming it up a bit once in a while, when the idioms departed from the Hebrew. But Eli's own raw honesty is present here as well.
I do recommend this book. For the most part the writing is solid, and the story is riveting. It's a short book and reads fast, and while dark, it is also life affirming. I'm glad I read it after Alon and the rest of the living hostages were released, though.
This is a memoir by one of the Israeli hostages who was kidnapped by Hamas. In Israel, it's the fastest selling book in the country's history, and it hit the New York Times bestseller list here in the US as well.
Eli Sharabi was held by Hamas in their tunnels for most of his captivity, which lasted 491 days. His is a story of survival but also more than that, a story of wanting to live, of finding a reason to live and clinging to it. One of his reasons was a goal of keeping his fellow hostages, three younger men, alive, especially twenty-two year old Alon Ohel, a sensitive musician. Sharabi, fifty-three, worried that Alon wouldn't survive without some mentoring, and took the younger man under his wing.
Because Sharabi comes from a Yemenite and Moroccan background, he was fluent in Arabic even before his kidnapping, and so he was able to communicate with his captors. One of the good things in the book is that while Sharabi hates them and is very clear on the fact that he will never forgive them for kidnapping him and taking him away from his wife and two daughters, he also humanizes them. They aren't faceless men.
One, for example, is as loving to his children on the phone as he is cruel to the hostages. Another wants the others to maintain professionalism and decorum. A few sneak extra food to the hostages, who are being systematically starved, but only when no one is looking. In the company of their fellows, the same men mistreat and abuse them.
Early on in the book, Eli spends three days in the company of the late Hersh Goldberg-Polin and two other young men. Hersh tells him that "He who has the why can bear any how," and this becomes one of Eli's guiding principles. He refuses to believe that he won't survive, or return to his wife and daughters who must surely be waiting for him.
I agree with the two reviewers who said that the translation leaves a little to be desired. The prose is a bit simple and the translation occasionally felt like a putting a shiny veneer over a jagged stone. I don’t know how else to describe it, but I could feel the translator hamming it up a bit once in a while, when the idioms departed from the Hebrew. But Eli's own raw honesty is present here as well.
I do recommend this book. For the most part the writing is solid, and the story is riveting. It's a short book and reads fast, and while dark, it is also life affirming. I'm glad I read it after Alon and the rest of the living hostages were released, though.
November 30, 2025
A heartbreaking read. Powerful.
June 22, 2025
אלי שרעבי מקיבוץ בארי נחטף לעזה ב-7 באוקטובר 2023 על ידי מחבלי חמאס, ושוחרר ב-8 בפברואר 2025 במסגרת הסכם לשחרור חטופים, לאחר 491 ימים בשבי. זהו יומן שבי עוצמתי ומטלטל, מדהים כמה כוחות יש לאיש הזה. לא הפסקתי לדמוע.
October 9, 2025
finished this in one day. What an incredible man who has shown nothing but bravery and courage. Wishing him continued recovery both physically and mentally
October 10, 2025
Heartbreaking beyond words. What an incredible human Eli is.
June 19, 2025
אלי שרעבי הוא לא סופר, וכנראה לא תיאר לעצמו שיום יבוא ויגולל את סיפור האימים שלו מהשבעה באוקטובר. האובדן הבלתי נתפס שחווה, השבי הקשה והחיים שאחרי גורמים לך לתפוס את הראש ולא להאמין שאדם עבר תלאות כאלה בחייו. ספר מטלטל ומרגש, כשסיפר על בנותיו נויה יהל לא יכולתי להחזיק את עצמי, המחשבה שילדות מלאות חיים כמוהן נפחו את נשמתן בצורה כל כך מזעזעת שוברת את הלב. הסיפור של אלי שרעבי הוא השראה ונותן פרופורציות לחיים, מה חשוב באמת וכמה תודה צריך להוקיר על הדברים הקטנים ביותר.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2025
Every human being should read this book
October 13, 2025
This book is riveting. I thought it would be hard to read and cracked it open with my morning tea, intending just to read the inside flap and take a look at the first page. Next thing I knew, I was up to chapter five. I read the entire book in a mad rush, taking it with me everywhere, and finished it at 1 in the morning.
The book is unputdownable, but more than that, it’s life-affirming and hopeful. Perhaps it’s because I already knew the worst parts from the news, but I closed the book feeling more hopeful than when I started it. It reminded me of Fear No Evil by Natan Sharansky (though it is much shorter and the ending is, obviously, less triumphant).
The book is very tight and personal, focusing on the author’s own harrowing experiences and not trying to pull back to give a broader picture the way, for example, The Gates of Gaza does. Sharabi does not claim to be telling us anything but his own experience; he is not a journalist (though he is an amazing writer!) and he originally wrote the book for an Israeli audience that already knows the history. At the same time, there is a lot to be learned from his conversations with his captors and his fellow hostages.
The book is unputdownable, but more than that, it’s life-affirming and hopeful. Perhaps it’s because I already knew the worst parts from the news, but I closed the book feeling more hopeful than when I started it. It reminded me of Fear No Evil by Natan Sharansky (though it is much shorter and the ending is, obviously, less triumphant).
The book is very tight and personal, focusing on the author’s own harrowing experiences and not trying to pull back to give a broader picture the way, for example, The Gates of Gaza does. Sharabi does not claim to be telling us anything but his own experience; he is not a journalist (though he is an amazing writer!) and he originally wrote the book for an Israeli audience that already knows the history. At the same time, there is a lot to be learned from his conversations with his captors and his fellow hostages.
October 23, 2025
ufffff, no sé ni qué decir
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HC8...
estos rehenes son civiles, padres de familia, muchachos, niños
no son criminales ni "casualties" de una guerra, no son unos desgraciados ni unos terroristas
son hombres, mujeres, niños, gente de familia, de hogar, de valores, de moral, i-no-cen-tes
que sufrieron lo que nadie se merece
dolorosísimo y sin embargo, se aferra a la vida, bravo!!!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HC8...
estos rehenes son civiles, padres de familia, muchachos, niños
no son criminales ni "casualties" de una guerra, no son unos desgraciados ni unos terroristas
son hombres, mujeres, niños, gente de familia, de hogar, de valores, de moral, i-no-cen-tes
que sufrieron lo que nadie se merece
dolorosísimo y sin embargo, se aferra a la vida, bravo!!!
November 10, 2025
an insane and horrific story of what Eli and basically the whole country lived through for two years, and it's so strange to read a book about a reality that is still ongoing.
October 17, 2025
This is a book that shouldn’t have been written. No man should be dragged from his home, from his family, and held in dark tunnels for 16 months. No man should be starved for simply existing apart from the terrorist regime that is Hamas.
But this book is truth. The horror it portrays (without graphic details. I’m not sure I could have stomached those.) is not fiction, but the real suffering of a man very close to my age. A man who just wanted to survive to get back to at his family.
The horror in Gaza is not at the hands of Israel. It is entirely in the hands of Hamas and the Islamic terrorists it continues to produce.
But this book is truth. The horror it portrays (without graphic details. I’m not sure I could have stomached those.) is not fiction, but the real suffering of a man very close to my age. A man who just wanted to survive to get back to at his family.
The horror in Gaza is not at the hands of Israel. It is entirely in the hands of Hamas and the Islamic terrorists it continues to produce.
October 12, 2025
Eli Sharabi, thank you for writing this book. I read many many books but I purchase very few. When I saw that Harper Collins was publishing an English translation of Eli Sharabi’s book I immediately purchased it. This book is worth purchasing and definitely worth reading. I read it in an environment where I usually cannot read much but this book was so gripping that I managed to read the entire book in two sittings. This book has no extras, it is the story of a hero and how he survived. It is not graphic or scary and honestly could probably be read by middle school children. I cannot imagine how a hostage could survive those conditions or what they actually endured on a daily basis so I found the details of Eli’s personal story so illuminating. Buy this book, read this book, share this book.
October 25, 2025
Should be mandatory reading for everyone
November 22, 2025
It's hard to rate a book like this one. It's really a heartbreaking tale, and it was very well told. I read it in a couple of evenings. Sharabi shares all of the details of his experience, and my sense is that the book is very forthright.
All I could think after reading it is how grateful I am for the life I get to live and how important it is to not let the small things interfere with your happiness. Every so often it's good to be reminded. My heart is with these hostages. I can't imagine life will ever be the same for them even though their freedom has been secured. Even while I knew the ending before I started the book, I felt myself on edge with every word.
All I could think after reading it is how grateful I am for the life I get to live and how important it is to not let the small things interfere with your happiness. Every so often it's good to be reminded. My heart is with these hostages. I can't imagine life will ever be the same for them even though their freedom has been secured. Even while I knew the ending before I started the book, I felt myself on edge with every word.
October 8, 2025
A beautiful, heartbreaking elegy.
October 7, 2025
Eli = LIFE
Eli Sharabi’s Hostage is an absolutely outstanding and deeply moving book. From the very first page, it captures the reader’s heart and doesn’t let go. Sharabi brings incredible honesty, emotional depth, and raw humanity to a story that is both profoundly personal and universally resonant.
What makes Hostage so powerful is not just the subject matter, but the way it’s told — with courage, clarity, and a deep sense of purpose. The narrative flows with a rare intensity, blending heartbreak, resilience, and hope in a way that feels both intimate and monumental. Sharabi doesn’t just tell a story; he invites readers to live through it, to feel every moment, and to understand the strength of the human spirit even in the darkest of times.
This book is a testament to love, loss, and survival. It’s one of those rare works that lingers long after you’ve finished reading — a story that stays with you, challenges you, and inspires you.
In short: Hostage is a masterpiece of truth and emotion. Eli Sharabi has given the world a gift — a story that will be remembered.
Eli Sharabi’s Hostage is an absolutely outstanding and deeply moving book. From the very first page, it captures the reader’s heart and doesn’t let go. Sharabi brings incredible honesty, emotional depth, and raw humanity to a story that is both profoundly personal and universally resonant.
What makes Hostage so powerful is not just the subject matter, but the way it’s told — with courage, clarity, and a deep sense of purpose. The narrative flows with a rare intensity, blending heartbreak, resilience, and hope in a way that feels both intimate and monumental. Sharabi doesn’t just tell a story; he invites readers to live through it, to feel every moment, and to understand the strength of the human spirit even in the darkest of times.
This book is a testament to love, loss, and survival. It’s one of those rare works that lingers long after you’ve finished reading — a story that stays with you, challenges you, and inspires you.
In short: Hostage is a masterpiece of truth and emotion. Eli Sharabi has given the world a gift — a story that will be remembered.
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