Hostage Reveals Daily Abuse and Love Notes That Sustained Her in Gaza Captivity
Over a year has passed since the world witnessed the terrified face of Arbel Yehoud, forced to walk through a baying mob of Hamas terrorists to freedom. Now, the 30-year-old feels strong enough to reveal that this sickening spectacle was merely the final act in a monstrous campaign of abuse endured throughout her 482 days held in Gaza.
Motivated by Fellow Captive's Bravery
Motivated to speak out after seeing fellow captive Romi Gonen, 25, bravely disclose how she was sexually assaulted by her captors, Arbel shares that she endured similar horrors "almost every single day in captivity." Held alone, the abuse was so severe she attempted suicide on multiple occasions.
"I tried to end it three times," Arbel says. "I felt like I couldn’t go on. There were moments when I thought it was the only way out." However, she was kept alive by her love for her boyfriend, Ariel Cunio, 28, from whom she was torn after they were kidnapped together. "Every time, I remembered Ariel, and that gave me the strength to keep breathing," she explains of her suicidal thoughts.
Details of the Abuse and Separation
Understandably, Arbel does not wish to elaborate further on the specifics of the abuse. But she recounts being held in solitary confinement, starved, and subjected to psychological, sexual, and physical abuse, which resulted in two broken ribs. Above all, being separated from the love of her life filled her with the deepest despair.
Incredibly, for the first few months of captivity, the couple managed to smuggle love notes to one another before guards cut off their contact. When Arbel was freed on January 30 last year, the knowledge that she was leaving Ariel behind in Gaza terrified her more than any gunman could.
Campaign for Freedom and Reunion
After traveling the world to campaign for his release, Ariel was finally freed on October 13 last year. Now, Arbel and Ariel detail how their extraordinary love sustained them through 15 months in hell. Paying tribute to Romi's bravery, Ariel says, "Since I returned, I haven’t been able to watch the stories of other survivors. But when I saw the promo for Romi’s story, it felt different. I realised that what Romi describes experiencing once is what I went through almost every single day in captivity."
The Horrors of October 7 and Captivity
Arbel had lived a quiet life with Ariel in Kibbutz Nir Oz since 2018, raising a two-month-old puppy named Murph and planning a future of marriage and children. But on the morning of October 7, 2023, everything changed when Palestinian terrorists broke through the Gaza border, killing, raping, and kidnapping indiscriminately.
Arbel and Ariel hid under their bed with Murph. "I put my hand over her mouth to stop her barking… but it didn’t help," Arbel said, noting it reminded her of Holocaust testimonies. "They found us, dragged us out, and shot Murph in front of us. We heard Murph’s crying until she died." Arbel was beaten, and Ariel endured blunt-force attacks to his head until he bled.
After three hours in Gaza, they were separated and sent to different hideouts. Both believed survival depended on staying connected. "I drove them crazy asking about her," says Ariel. "They finally agreed to let us write notes to each other, which they smuggled with messengers," adds Arbel. The messages were short and powerful: "I’m okay. I love you. Stay strong."
Isolation and Psychological Toll
However, the note-smuggling stopped after a few months when guards threatened to kill Arbel if Ariel mentioned her name again. For over a year, they lived in isolation and fear. "Every day I hoped he was safe. I didn’t know if he was alive, if he was being hurt. That fear was worse than anything else," Arbel recalls.
"The mental toll was insane. Being separated, not knowing if she was okay… I went crazy sometimes. I would walk in circles, hit my head, just to release the tension," says Ariel. To cope, Arbel drew pictures in a notebook, envisioning their future together. "It gave me good thoughts. That’s what strengthened me," she explains.
Further Hardships in Captivity
In captivity, Arbel also endured interrogations, forced conversion attempts, and starvation, as she was kept in refugee camps. She was held with a baby who aged from four months to 15 months during her imprisonment. "They carry knives from the age of seven or eight. Three days before I left, the baby aimed a gun at me. He was playing with it. He pointed it at me while I begged his mother to take it down," she recounts.
Release and Ongoing Struggles
Arbel was released first, emerging alone into a mob surrounded by hundreds of terrorists. "I remember stepping out and seeing that sea of green headbands. I was the only woman. My mind was trying to process — am I free? But I’m still surrounded by them?" she says. Ariel was released after 738 days in captivity.
Now free, they face a new struggle: rehabilitation, sleepless nights, flashbacks, and trauma. Learning how to live and trust the world again is daunting. Their home in Nir Oz is gone, leaving them with nowhere to return, but they have each other. Arbel and Ariel are currently raising funds for their rehabilitation efforts.
