In a shocking revelation, the aunt of a Russian-Israeli hostage, Roni Krivoi, has disclosed that he managed to escape his Hamas captors during their surprise attack on the Nova Music Festival.
However, after four days in hiding, he was discovered by Gazan residents and returned to his captors.
Krivoi, a 25-year-old, was held in a building in Gaza that collapsed due to an Israeli Defense Forces airstrike, according to his aunt, Yelena Magid, who spoke to Israeli public radio, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. "He managed to escape the rubble and break free," she said, adding that he suffered head trauma in the building collapse.
Krivoi found himself in unfamiliar territory and was unable to navigate his way out of the Gaza Strip. "He did not have the capacity to understand where he was and where he needed to go, so he could not navigate the open field," Magid explained. "He was alone."
After four days in hiding, Gazan residents discovered Krivoi and returned him to his captors, according to the Times of Israel.
Krivoi was eventually released on Sunday, a move that Hamas terrorists described as a gesture of gratitude for Russian President Vladimir Putins "efforts and support of the Palestinian cause," as reported by Israels i24 News.
Krivoi was the first adult male to be freed, along with 13 other Israelis and three foreign hostages.
Upon his release, Magid asked him about his mental state. "I asked him today: 'How are you feeling? Do you have nightmares?'" she said. "He answered: 'Yes, I have nightmares from the party and captivity, but that is good, it means I am handling it well.'"
Other released hostages have shared their experiences of being completely cut off from the outside world, learning about the death of their relatives in the Oct. 7 assault only after their release. They were fed a bland diet of rice and pita and endured long waits for the bathroom.
Despite their ordeal, all the released hostages have been reported in stable condition after being transported to Israeli medical facilities.
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