An Israeli mother kidnapped by Hamas with her three children recalled 51 days in captivity in a small room ricketed by bomb explosions, surviving on pita every day.
Hager Brodach, 40, publicly told her family’s harrowing survival story to an American audience for the first time Thursday night at an emotional event hosted by an Israeli charity at Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue. Bereph Ehad.
Hagar, her husband Abihai, 42, and their children Ofri, 10, Yuval, 9, and Olya, 4, were just hours away from celebrating Ofri’s birthday. Later, on October 7, I woke up to the sound of rockets being fired from Gaza.
Hagar and her children rushed to a safe room, while her husband, Abihai, 42, a private security guard at the kibbutz, ran to the town’s armory to get a gun.
Abigail Mor Idan, a friend of her children’s from school, arrived at her door shortly after her parents were killed in front of her by Hamas terrorists disguised as IDF soldiers. .
“she was [covered] “But we found out it wasn’t her blood,” Hager said.
As Mr. Abihai tried to run to the armory, terrorists opened fire on him, and when he arrived he found that Hamas was already there, waiting for private security to arrive.
“They knew everything and were really good scouts,” Abihai said.
Seven private security guards were killed and three others were injured in the ensuing gunfight.
“Four of my friends died right next to me,” Abihai said.
Armed with M16s, Abihai engaged in a firefight with Hamas killers who fired RPGs and threw grenades. Abihai sustained injuries to his leg and arm.
Upon returning home, 15 terrorists forced their way into the safe room, kidnapped Hagar and the children, and took them on a “mad drive to Gaza.”
“The people of Gaza were all cheering and happy,” Hagar recalled. “They beat me and the terrorists wanted to show everyone that they had a little girl with them.”
They were then taken to an apartment in Gaza that had no running water. Two weeks later, the building collapsed due to IDF bombing, Hagar said. Her daughter Ofri sustained injuries to her head in the explosion.
The hostages were transferred to another apartment, where three terrorists guarded them at all times, and they were only allowed to leave the locked room to use the bathroom.
The family was forced to survive on just one pita a day for several weeks. “I had to beg for food for my children,” Hager said.
Their captors played sadistic mind games on them. “I was told that Kfar Azha does not exist.” [their kibbutz] No more,” said Hagar. And for 51 days they had no idea whether Abihai was dead or alive.
“It was hell,” Hagar said.
Hagar, her children, and Abigail were finally released in late November. They were too traumatized to go home.
The community rallied around them. Strangers offered them free housing, and neighbors pitched in to provide them with furniture. “They filled our refrigerator with food,” her mother recalled.
Now, the Brodutch family is trying to emerge from a nightmare.
“It’s hard on the kids,” the father said. “School-wise, we are 51 days behind.”
