Last week I had the privilege of hearing from Louis Har, a recently rescued Israeli hostage from Gaza. Today, as we mark 200 days of captivity for the over 129 hostages who remain in Gaza, I think about the day when I will be able to hear the heroic stories of each of these individuals upon their return to their homes. Hearing Louis tell his story of perseverance and salvation gave me the hope that one day I will hear from them too.
Louis Har, along with members of his family, was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak and held in Gaza. The group was held in a residential home by a family who kept watch of them. The situation became particularly intense when they tried to barricade themselves in a room, only to be forced out by the terrorists, who they feared would kill them. Despite these harrowing circumstances, his family members were released in late November as part of the temporary ceasefire deal, although Louis remained captive until his rescue on February 12th. He and Fernando Marman were rescued by an IDF operation in Rafah, when the IDF soldier told his commanders “we have secured the diamonds.”
In early November Louis’s daughters, Rinat and Natalie, came to the U.S. to advocate for the release of their father. They spoke of the day when their father would return and meet us himself. Thanks to the heroic actions of the IDF, Louis was able to return. 200 days after October 7th, I still wait for the rest of our diamonds to be returned. – Jacqueline Englanoff, Pro Israel America Intern
