Former Hostage Romi Gonen Reveals Footage of Her Abduction to Gaza
Former Gaza hostage Romi Gonen shared footage of her abduction from her podcast, reflecting on the 471 days she spent in captivity and the enduring psychological impact of the ordeal.
Former hostage Romi Gonen has revealed footage from her abduction to the Gaza Strip during her podcast "The New Life of Romi Gonen", produced in collaboration with V1. Gonen shared her feelings while watching the video and reliving the painful moments of helplessness. She was released from Hamas captivity in January 2025 after enduring 471 days in the Gaza Strip.
Gonen described the harrowing experience of seeing herself in the car on that day. "I am lying there, the sun is shining directly on me, my hair is blowing in the wind, and that is what is happening inside the car. Seeing myself lying there like that, alive, it is no longer just a memory, it is something living, breathing. It is crazy," she shared.
She recounted the intense fear she felt during the abduction. "All I felt in those moments in the car was that I was already terrified at that point, truly. My hand hurt, people were shouting nonsense, they hit me, but it was as if all that was going through my mind was the pain, it did not let go of me."
Gonen also reflected on the final moments of the recorded footage. "Towards the end of the video, you see me opening my eyes. Something about seeing myself open my eyes gives me the validation that I was conscious there. I wake up with this in the morning, I go to sleep with it at night, it is in my dreams."
