'Every moment counts' – Former Israeli hostage Gadi Mozes urges immediate release for all remaining hostages in Gaza

For the first time since being released, Gadi Mozes (80) from Kibbutz Nir Oz shared his experience of being held captive by Hamas. On Thursday, he made his first public statement in a recorded message, addressing both the Israeli public and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"I was there, and I suffered. I witnessed the horrors our people endure in captivity," Mozes shared. "Mr. Prime Minister, every day is critical – critical to the survival of our remaining hostages, critical to our ability to bring our fallen home for burial in Israel."

Mozes was one of the oldest hostages kidnapped into Gaza, and was freed in the first phase of the hostage deal after 482 days in captivity.

He was held captive alone by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), similar to Arbel Yehud, who was freed alongside him. During the same exchange, another hostage, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) surveillance soldier Agam Berger was released from a different location.

During his captivity, Mozes coped with the isolation by engaging in discussions about politics and the Islamic faith with his captors. Although he was provided with books about Islam, he struggled to read without glasses, prompting him to request a pair, which his captors provided.

With no access to electricity, he would sleep at sunset and wake up before dawn. At times, he could hear Israeli airstrikes nearby, according to The Jerusalem Post.

According to his son, Yair, his father often debated Israeli land ownership with his captors, who claimed they had been there before the Jewish people. "We had people in these places 3,000 years ago. What are you talking about?" his father responded to their claim.

Before reuniting with his family, Mozes made a vow that upon his release, "I will do everything in my power to help rebuild Nir Oz."

"I was there for 482 days and suffered. I saw firsthand the horrors our people endure," he said.

"Every moment counts. I was freed after 482 days – by sheer luck, I made it out alive. But with each passing day, those still held are at greater risk. I suffered there, I suffered greatly – mentally and physically, facing relentless abuse," Moses soberly added, emphasizing the increasing danger for those still being held hostage.

Mozes offered his support to IDF soldiers, conveyed his condolences to the grieving families, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

"These brave individuals risked their lives to save me, my fellow hostages, and our entire people," he said.

He pledged to "join the fight for the release of every last hostage and dedicate himself to rebuilding Nir Oz, transforming it from a devastated landscape into a thriving community once again."