'My friends who remain in captivity are enduring suffering beyond belief,' released Israeli hostage Steinbrecher tells UNSC

Released Israeli hostage Doron Steinbrecher told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday that the remaining hostages in Gaza are “suffering beyond belief.”

"I am here to bear witness firsthand: my friends who remain in captivity are enduring suffering beyond belief. No stretch of the imagination can capture the horror of their daily reality," Steinbrecher told the UNSC in New York City.

"This reality is too cruel to grasp. No one can truly understand it in 90 seconds – not even in 90 hours, and my friends are still in hell after more than 510 days," she continued.

On Oct. 7, 2023, 31-year-old Steinbrecher was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from her home in Kfar Aza, a rural Israeli community located close to the Gaza border. In January 2025, she was released from captivity as part of the internationally brokered hostage agreement.

At the time, her cousin, Michael Mayo, welcomed Steinbrecher’s return home to Israel.

"Doron is coming back to us! Doron – I’m speaking to you on behalf of Mom and Dad. We’ll do anything you need. Sorry it took so long. How good it is that you’re coming home. We are a family of Holocaust survivors. We read difficult reports and we're very concerned about your fate," Mayo said.

Following her return to Israel, Steinbrecher revealed that she was held "in inhumane conditions in a tunnel underground, with no light and no fresh air.” Many other former hostages have recalled similar harsh conditions during their captivity in Gaza.

Israeli officials believe that 59 hostages are still being held in Gaza. Around 24 are believed to be alive, however, pundits believe that time is running out to save them.

Drawing on her firsthand experience as a former hostage, Steinbrecher urged the United Nations to take action before it's too late.

"You all saw the terrible conditions of the hostages who returned in the past few weeks. How much longer do you think they can survive? We must all do everything within our power to bring them home. Please, help us – before it’s too late," she told the UNSC.

Nimrod Cohen is one of the 59 remaining hostages in Gaza. His father urged the United Nations to facilitate the return of his captured son and the other remaining hostages.

“I stand before you at the UN Human Rights Council to urge the international community, especially the negotiating states, Egypt and Qatar, as well as the Israeli government: Secure the ceasefire. Ensure the continuation of the hostage releases."

Many of the hostages hold dual citizenship. In January, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu welcomed the release of Steinbrecher, a dual Romanian and Israeli national, and other Israeli hostages who were released at the same time.

“Their courage to endure captivity in such difficult conditions is an inspiration to us all,” he stated in a post on Facebook.

“We need the full implementation of the agreement to continue so that all hostages are safely released and we stand in solidarity with the families still awaiting the return of their loved ones,” Ciolacu argued.

However, last week, the fragile ceasefire came to an end after Hamas refused to release more Israeli hostages and rejected various U.S. proposals. While many international leaders blamed Israel, the United States emphasized that Hamas is responsible for the collapse of the ceasefire.

“This brutal terrorist organization has steadfastly refused every proposal and deadline they've been presented over the past few weeks, including a bridge proposal to extend the ceasefire beyond Ramadan and Passover to allow time to negotiate a framework for a permanent ceasefire,” U.S. Acting U.S. Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea stated.

“The blame for the resumption of hostilities lies solely with Hamas,” she added.