Ada Sagi, 75, from the Nir Oz kibbutz, who was abducted on October 7 and freed after 53 days in captivity as part of a deal with Hamas, said in an interview with BBC that she no longer believes in peace with Palestinians.
"I understand Hamas don't want it," she said. Sagi now believes that the entire world hates Jews.
Ada Sagi was a peace activist who taught Arabic and Hebrew to Israeli children to facilitate communication with their Palestinian neighbors. In the fall of 2023, Sagi planned to fly to London to celebrate her birthday with her son Noam. However, on October 7, Palestinians from Gaza stormed into Israel, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 hostages, including Ada Sagi.
It took Sagi six months to decide to share her experience with the British media, discussing her changed views and those who took away her freedom, home, and belief in peace. At first, Sagi was hidden in a family home with children, but the following day, she was taken to an apartment in the southern city of Khan Younis. There, she lived in the apartment of a male nurse who told her that he had sent his wife and children to relatives.
Hamas paid some students NIS 70 [£14.82; $18.83] a day to guard the hostages. "It's a lot of money in Gaza because they have no work. And if you have work not with Hamas, it's no more than 20 shekels for a day," Sagi said.
On the 49th day of captivity, Ada Sagi was informed she would be returned to Israel with other women, but they were returned to Khan Yunis due to complications. They were then taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. "People say that they are not involved. They're involved... and getting money for each of us," Sagi said.
Ten hostages were placed in Nasser Hospital, one of whom remains in Hamas captivity. BBC journalists approached Atef al-Hout, director of the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, for comment, but he denied the hostages were held in the hospital, emphasizing it provides only humanitarian services.
Ada Sagi revealed that she and other Nir-Oz residents who survived the October 7 massacre now live in provided apartments in Kiryat Gat. She is writing a book and working with PTSD children, expressing joy in continuing to help others.
"I lost my home. I lost my freedom - the whole place that I [have] to go back. Our village - kibbutz - is destroyed. I cried good. I'm not 'iron woman', like everybody says. Sometimes, you cry, and it's good. My mother would say: 'To cry, it cleans the eye," Ada Sagi said.
