Eitan Mor

Eitan Mor
Eitan Mor
Born (2000-05-30) May 30, 2000
Known forthe Gaza war hostage crisis

Eitan Mor (Hebrew: איתן מור; born 30 May 2000) is an Israeli civilian who was abducted to the Gaza Strip during the October 7 attacks after being taken from the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im. He was held in captivity for 738 days and was released on 13 October 2025 (Hoshana Rabbah) as part of the third hostage-release agreement.

Early life

Eitan Mor is the son of Efrat and Tzvika Mor,[1] the latter of whom serves as chairman of the Tikva Forum, an organization representing families of hostages.[2][3] The family lives in Kiryat Arba, in which Mor grew up.[4][5][6] Prior to his abduction, he worked as an unarmed security guard at large public events, including the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im.[4][7] In addition to his work in security, Mor had professional experience in the culinary field and aspired to open his own restaurant.[2][8]

Abduction

Between 6 October 2023 and 7 October 7 2023, the Nova music festival was held near Kibbutz Re’im in the Gaza border region.[9] Mor was employed at the event as an unarmed security guard.[10][5] On the morning of October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on communities in the area, involving the murder, rape, and abduction of civilians and soldiers.[11][12][13]

During the attack, Mor assisted festivalgoers by helping to evacuate victims and retrieve the bodies of women who had been killed, actions later described in eyewitness accounts and family statements.[14][4] He carried out these efforts together with his friend Elyakim Libman, who was killed that day.[15][4] At approximately 14:00, contact with Mor was lost, and for several days he was considered missing.[14] It was later determined that he had been abducted to the Gaza Strip, and for many months his fate remained unknown.[16]

Following his release, Mor testified that he was abducted by eight civilians, some of them children, possibly of third-grade age, who handed him over to Hamas operatives.[17][4] Shortly before being abducted, he had moved Shira Eylon's body with the help of Rom Braslavski.[4] When Mor and Braslavski returned to move another body, Braslavski was abducted while Mor briefly escaped being abducted as well.[4]

Captivity

According to his father, during the first three days after being taken into Gaza, Mor was bound with his hands tied behind his back, and during the first year of captivity he was held completely alone. Over the course of approximately two years, he was moved between around 40 hiding places, all located in Gaza City, both above and below ground.[18][19]

Mor endured periods of severe hunger, at times receiving only a few spoonfuls of rice per day.[20] He lost 15 kilos of muscle.[6] During his captivity, he cooked meals for his captors and also taught them how to prepare food.[8] He also learned Arabic while in captivity.[21] He formed a close friendship with fellow hostage Ziv Berman while in captivity.[6]

During his time in captivity, Mor met several times with Izz al-Din al-Haddad, commander of Hamas’s Gaza City Brigade and a senior figure in the organization. Mor described him as a level-headed individual who insisted on respectful treatment and, on occasion, threatened other militants, stating that if anything happened to Mor, “he would kill them.” Mor further recounted that when one of his captors claimed that his father did not care about him and was not participating in demonstrations, al-Haddad responded that the father loved him but was working for his release “in a different way,” adding that Mor should be released first because “his father does not help us and does not serve our objectives.”[22]

In February 2025, a sign of life was received from Mor.[23] After his release Mor, stated that for one year he had been held in a family home that contained a bathroom, shower, and kitchen.

Release

Mor was released from Hamas captivity on 13 October 13 2025 Hoshana Rabbah, after 738 days in captivity, as part of the Gaza peace plan. His medical condition upon release was reported to be good.[24]

He met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 14 October 2025.[25] Mor was among the 26 released hostages who visited U.S. president Donald Trump at the White House.[26] Mor gave Trump a special dreidel.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ גורדון, ליהיא; גורדון, ליהיא (24 May 2025). "החטוף איתן מור מציין יום הולדת שני בעזה: "מחכים לו בכל יום שיבוא"". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  2. ^ a b "משפחת החטוף איתן מור קיבלה אות חיים: "מתפללים לחזרת כולם" | חדשות 13". רשת 13 (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  3. ^ Staff, ToI (14 October 2025). "Oct. 14: Hostage families demand meeting with IDF chief over Hamas's failure to hand over bodies". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g ynet (12 December 2025). "Freed hostage Eitan Mor recounts abduction, captivity and hunger in Gaza". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  5. ^ a b Staff, ToI (5 November 2023). "After 738 days, Eitan Mor, guard at rave who helped save others, is released from Gaza". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  6. ^ a b c Lukash, Alexandra; Lukash, Alexandra (20 November 2025). "Freed hostage's Arabic shocks taxi driver: 'I'm from Gaza,' Eitan Mor said — and the driver panicked". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  7. ^ "המאבטח שפינה גופות של צעירות מהנובה: סיפורו של איתן מור - ערוץ 14 | C14". www.c14.co.il (in Hebrew). 13 October 2025. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  8. ^ a b "The Hostage Who Turned His Captors Into Culinary Students". Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  9. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (3 April 2025). "IDF okayed Nova music festival, but didn't inform troops deployed at border, probe finds". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  10. ^ Lidman, -Melanie; Lidman, Associated Press Melanie; Press, Associated (13 October 2025). "These are the living hostages released by Hamas under ceasefire deal". PBS News. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  11. ^ Tucker, -Eric; Tucker, Associated Press Eric; Press, Associated (3 September 2024). "Justice Department charges Hamas leader, other militants over Oct. 7 massacre in Israel". PBS News. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  12. ^ "A UN envoy says there are 'reasonable grounds' to believe Hamas committed sexual violence on Oct. 7". AP News. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  13. ^ Staff, ToI; JTA (6 March 2025). "The next 24: These are the remaining hostages presumed alive in Gaza". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  14. ^ a b Agencies and TOI Staff. "The living hostages expected to be released from Gaza". www.australianjewishnews.com. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  15. ^ Staff, ToI (11 September 2024). "Elyakim Libman, 23: Festival security guard nicknamed 'Robin Hood'". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  16. ^ "המאבטח שהציל נשים במסיבת נובה - ונחטף לעזה: סיפורו של איתן מור". www.maariv.co.il (in Hebrew). 2025. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  17. ^ ""השלמתי עם זה שאמות בעזה, זה עזר לי לחיות": איתן מור בריאיון בלעדי". מקור ראשון (in Hebrew). 12 December 2025. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  18. ^ Staff, ToI (14 October 2025). "Oct. 14: Hostage families demand meeting with IDF chief over Hamas's failure to hand over bodies". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  19. ^ Bybelezer, Charles (20 October 2025). "Freed hostage Eitan Mor was nearly killed for stealing bread". JNS.org. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  20. ^ ""They beat me, but I no longer felt anything": How the last Israeli hostages survived Hamas captivity". The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  21. ^ ynet (12 December 2025). "Freed hostage Eitan Mor recounts abduction, captivity and hunger in Gaza". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  22. ^ קמפינסקי, יוני. "צביקה מור בראיון מיוחד: היה ברור לאיתן שאני נלחם עליו, בדרך אחרת". ערוץ 7 (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  23. ^ דון-יחייא, מיכאל (12 February 2025). "פרסום ראשון | משפחתו של החטוף איתן מור ל'רגע NEWS': "קיבלנו אות חיים, הוא חי"". רגע NEWS (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  24. ^ ערוץ 7. ""אבא שלך לא מפגין, תשתחרר ראשון"". ערוץ 7 (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ Freiberg, Nava (14 October 2025). "Ex-hostage to PM: Hamas chief told me I would be released first in deal since my father didn't go to protests". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  26. ^ a b Freid, Shilo; Freid, Shilo; Kochavi, Hagar (19 November 2025). "'Light over darkness': Freed hostage's gift to Trump carries deep meaning". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
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