Former Hamas hostage Eli Sharabi spoke at the United Nations Security Council this week, urging world leaders to take immediate action to free the remaining hostages still held in Gaza.
Sharabi, who was released on February 8 after 491 days in captivity, described his experience in detail.
Taken from Kibbutz Be’eri during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, he lost his wife and two daughters, who were murdered. His brother Yossi was also taken and later killed. His body remains in Gaza.
“When I got home, I asked for my wife and daughters. That’s when I found out they were gone,” Sharabi told the council.
He spoke about being beaten, starved, and held in chains. When released, he weighed just 97 pounds. He said Hamas fighters regularly ate food stolen from United Nations aid shipments while the hostages were left with almost nothing—often just a piece of pita and tea.
“Hamas eats like kings while hostages starve,” he said. “I saw Hamas take dozens of UN-marked boxes into tunnels. They used the aid to feed themselves, not the hostages or civilians.”
Eli Sharabi spoke at the UN today.
His wife and 2 daughters were murdered by Hamas on October 7th. He was held hostage for 500 days
He asks where the UN was and adds that Hamas terrorists eat like kings of UN food sent as humanitarian aid in front of him pic.twitter.com/Z2qgoa99YR
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 21, 2025
Sharabi said 59 hostages are still in Gaza and many may not be alive. He pleaded with the UN to stop delaying and help bring them home.
“Where was the UN? Where was the Red Cross? Where was the world?” he asked. “No more excuses. Bring them all home. Now.”
Eli Sharabi:
“I was treated in worse than an animal. Where was the Red Cross when we needed them? Where was the UN?
No one in Gaza helped me. The civilians saw us suffering, and they cheered for the terrorists. There’s no such thing as ‘uninvolved.'”
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) March 20, 2025
Reactions from UN members were mixed. The UK and France expressed sympathy, but also raised concerns about Israel’s recent airstrikes in Gaza. Russia and Algeria criticized Israel for not advancing ceasefire talks. The Palestinian envoy expressed condolences to Sharabi and said Palestinians “live the same pain.”
