Maya Shem (21), Shoham
Return to Mom's embrace: Maya Shem, 21, from Shoham, was kidnapped to Gaza from the party in Re'im on Black Saturday. During the massacre at the party, she told her family that she had been injured in the leg and had lost contact. A few days after her abduction, the Hamas terrorist organization released a video showing her with a wound to her hand. In the edited video, she says that she underwent surgery and received medical treatment and asked to be brought home as soon as possible.
Mia there. Back home, photo: None
In an interview with Israel Hayom during the struggle to shut her down, her mother Keren said: "It was the only and last time we heard from her, I'm very worried about her condition – partly because I only saw her upper body and she reported to one of the acquaintances that she had been shot in the leg. It's uncertainty at a level where it's hard for me to breathe."
Lamia and Keren have tattoos together, on Keren's hand tattooed the song "Star" by Assaf Amdursky, a tattoo that is also found on her daughter's shoulder. "It symbolizes things we went through together. Right now what I have is to lift my head, look up at the sky and hope that Mia also sees sky, moon and stars. I put this song out loud and pray. I'm already thinking about the tattoo we'll get when she comes back to us, we already have a sketch – we'll do it for the whole family together."
Sapir Cohen (26), Kiryat Ata
Sapir Cohen, 26, from Kiryat Ata, was abducted together with her boyfriend, Alex (Sasha) Tropanov (28), and his family from the family home in Nir Oz. Sapir and Sasha moved in together in central Israel about a month before the abduction. On Black Saturday, they came to Nir Oz to visit Sasha's family.
Sapir Cohen. Back home, photo: None
When the attack began, the Kollel family hid together, but the terrorists broke in. They murdered the father of the family Vitaly and kidnapped Sapir, Sasha, his mother Yelena Trofanov (50) and his grandmother Irena Tati (77). The latter two were released from captivity yesterday after Russian President Vladimir Putin intervened because of their Russian citizenship.
Sapir has three brothers and a family waiting for her at home. They tell about a beautiful and talented young woman with a strong character. That morning, Sapir's family tried to contact her, but her and Sasha's phones were not available, and later tracked showed that the devices were in Gaza. Friends of the two set up a war room, and a few days later a video arrived in which Sapir was apparently spotted being transported to Gaza by motorcycle.
Shani Goren (29), Nir Oz
Shani Goren, 29, from Nir Oz, works in informal education and is very dedicated to her work and children. A sign of this was given to her family and friends this week when Eitan Yahalomi, 12, who was released from captivity, said that she gave up her food in captivity for him. Family and friends tell of a cynical, funny and beloved girl who is the beating heart of the kibbutz friends.
Shani Goren. Back home, photo: None
Shani's mother, Tamar Goren, was interviewed by Israel Hayom when the deal was signed: "There is a sense of optimism. I have hope that something good is finally happening. I hope that really everyone will come back. My daughter is not in the criteria of who is supposed to be released from captivity, but at some point she will come, she will return."
On October 7, Shani was alone in her apartment. She locked the safe room and was very nervous. Shira, Shani's older sister, said: "In the morning, after it became clear that terrorists had infiltrated the kibbutz, she was on the phone with Nofar, our brother's partner, practicing breathing on the phone. After two hours on the phone, the terrorists broke into the safe room and took her out of the apartment. The phone remained open, but they didn't hear the two, only talking in Arabic.
"We know that she was kidnapped alive because there was testimony from a kibbutz resident who saw her. On October 7 we also saw a video released by Hamas showing her healthy with no blood marks on her. Now we are waiting for the moment when she will be released."
Ilana Gritzowski (30), Nir Oz
Ilana Gritsevsky, 30, from Nir Oz, was abducted together with her boyfriend, Matan Tsengawkar (24). Ilana is a girl with a huge heart who immigrated to Israel from Mexico 14 years ago for Zionist motives as part of the Na'ale program (immigrant youth before parents). She was followed by her parents and sister.
Ilana Gritsewsky. Back home, photo: None
Although Mexican food remained her favorite food and she used to fly to visit there, Israel became her home. Ilana integrated into Israel, had a happy relationship with Matan, and the two lived together on Kibbutz Nir Oz. On the morning of the massacre, Matan texted his mother: "Relax, our bedroom is in the safe room," he wrote to her first. Realizing there was a real reason to panic, he wrote, "They're here, they're home," and "I love you, don't cry."
As part of the struggle to have her returned, her sister wrote to her: "As a matter of sadness, worry, uncertainty and anger. 07.10.2023 will be a date no one will ever forget. We are fighting this together and we will not stop until we return all the hostages. We all pray for your safe return. My sister, I love you."
Nili Margalit (41), Nir Oz
Treated wounded in Hamas captivity: Nili Margalit, 41, from Nir Oz, is a nurse in the pediatric emergency room at Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva. She was abducted from her home on the kibbutz on Black Saturday. For a long time, her condition was unknown until it was discovered that she had been kidnapped. According to information provided by abductees who were with her in captivity, Nili treated them and others and uses her medical knowledge to help them.
Nili Margalit. Back home, photo: None
Nili studied nursing at Ben-Gurion University, and upon graduation began working as a nurse in the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Ichilov Hospital. After five years, she returned to live in her home on Kibbutz Nir Oz and went to work in a children's emergency room in Soroka.
Her friends tell of a talented, professional, sensitive nurse full of giving and caring for her patients. The kibbutz members wrote to her: "Our Nili, with her kind eyes and huge heart that makes everyone next to her feel safe - your family and Kibbutz Nir Oz are waiting so much for you to return."
'Aisha (17) and her brother Bilal (21) al-Ziadne
The brothers are residents of Rahat. Their brother Hamza (22) and father Yusef (53) stayed behind. The family was kidnapped from Kibbutz Dune while my father was working with his children in a cowshed. In recent days, Aisha and Bilal's uncle has exerted all possible pressure, mainly through the media, to make decision makers not forget about the family from the Negev, after feeling that, as in many other areas of the country, the Bedouin are being left behind.
Brothers Aisha and Bilal, photo: courtesy of the family
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