'In captivity I saw how you were fighting for me,' says released IDF hostage Naama Levy in first public statement

Former hostage Naama Levy, who was released from captivity on Saturday along with three other IDF soldiers, posted her first public message via social media on Tuesday.

“After 477 days, I’m at home at last,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “I am safe and protected, surrounded by family and friends, and feeling better by the day.”

Levy wrote about her time as a hostage in the Gaza strip, saying that she was kept alone during her first 50 days in captivity after the October 7, 2023 attack. 

“After that, I stayed with my friends who gave me strength and hope,” she said. “We strengthened each other until the release day and also after it.” 

On the day of the attacks, she was abducted along with four other IDF soldiers in her battalion. The others released on Saturday were from the same group. The women are now waiting for their fellow soldier, Agam Berger, to be released on Thursday, as well as the rest of the hostages in Gaza.

Levy expressed her gratitude towards the IDF and the Israeli people for their support over the past 15 months. “It is important to me to thank IDF fighters and all the Israeli people — already in captivity I saw how you were fighting for me. Thank you everyone, I love you.” 

Video footage and images of Levy being abducted wearing blood-stained gray sweatpants went viral online and garnered international attention to the brutality Hamas perpetrated on October 7. 

While in captivity, Hamas terrorists kept Levy and her companions from being able to cry or hold hands to comfort each other, yet the young women continued to strengthen each other throughout the harrowing time.

Since their release, they have continued to support one another while recovering at the Rabin Medical Center, just as their families supported each other throughout the 15-month long fight for their release.

Before her capture, Levy volunteered with the United Nations and the International Red Cross. She also served with Hands of Peace, an organization dedicated toward building a peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. 

Before her release, Levy’s mother, Ayelet Levy Shachar, said, “When she comes back, she will make the world a better place.”