Tragedy Strikes as Israeli Forces Mistakenly Kill Three Hostages
It has been a series of horror and tragedy since the devastating attack by Hamas on Israelis 10 weeks ago. On Friday, Israeli forces accidentally killed three hostages, despite the fact that they were waving a white flag. The relentless pounding of Gaza by the Israeli army has caused a mass displacement of up to 90% of the population, with the death toll continuing to rise.
While approximately 100 Israeli hostages have been released, including mostly women and children, there are still as many as 130 individuals remaining in captivity. This ongoing crisis has left a deep wound in Israel.
We recently visited Israel and had the opportunity to speak with one of the hostages who was freed after 54 days, 36-year-old Yarden Roman-Gat. Yarden and her husband Alon Gat were abducted on October 7th at a kibbutz near the Gaza border.
Alon took us to the site where his parents' home in Be'eri once stood.
Alon Gat: "This is the entrance."
On that fateful day, Alon, Yarden, and their 3-year-old daughter Geffen were visiting his parents when Hamas stormed the kibbutz gate, broke into their home, and tragically shot his mother. Alon's sister Carmel disappeared, and the Hamas fighters forcibly took the three of them in a car and fled.
Brave Parents Escape Dangerous Situation in Gaza
Alon Gat and Yarden Roman-Gat found themselves in a life-threatening situation while driving through Gaza. As they drove, they noticed a small army post and decided to stop. Little did they know, terrorists were hiding in the nearby trees.
Realizing the danger, Alon and Yarden quickly made a split-second decision. They jumped out of the car and started running, with Yarden carrying their 12-kilogram baby, Geffen. Yarden, not being a strong runner, passed Geffen to Alon, who continued running ahead.
As they ran, they could hear bullets whistling past them, fired by the terrorists. It was a terrifying experience, but Alon's quick thinking and athleticism helped them escape unharmed.
When asked about passing their child to Alon, Yarden said, "It was a no-brainer. It was her best chance." Their bravery and selflessness in the face of danger is truly remarkable.
Alon Gat Recounts His Harrowing Experience
During a recent interview, Alon Gat shared the terrifying moments he faced while trying to protect his daughter, Geffen, during a traumatic event.
Gat explained that he discovered a small crack in the ground and quickly took action. He placed Geffen on the ground and laid on top of her, doing his best to keep her calm and quiet.
Despite his efforts, Gat admitted that he was still unsure of what had happened to his wife, Yarden, at the time. He contemplated whether he should leave Geffen to search for Yarden, but ultimately decided that his priority was to save his daughter.
Gat revealed that he spent approximately nine hours in the ditch, from 11:30 a.m. to around 8:00 p.m. During this time, Geffen showed incredible resilience, never once complaining about the lack of food or water. She even remarked to Gat, "daddy, it's a shame we didn't bring water."
Earlier that day, Yarden had become too exhausted to continue running and had collapsed to the ground as her captors closed in.
Yarden Roman-Gat: I pretended to be dead, but it was nearly impossible to hold my breath. So they declared, "No, she's not dead. There is no blood. So pick her up." They grabbed my arms and began dragging me on the ground back to the car. I was wearing pajamas, and my clothes were being stripped off my body. It was one of the most terrifying moments because I thought, "Even if they didn't have that intention before, now they might, and I am half naked. So..."
Lesley Stahl: I see. You were concerned about the possibility of rape?
Yarden Roman-Gat: Yes. I was afraid of being raped.
Lesley Stahl: Yes, of course.
Yarden Roman-Gat: Fortunately, they did not do it. Their goal was to bring me into Gaza.
Like other hostages, she was driven into Gaza through a dense crowd, filled with celebration.
Yarden Roman-Gat: My kidnappers couldn't resist showing me off as a trophy and objectifying my face. I was no longer seen as a person.
Lesley Stahl: But wait. The car windows were closed, right? No one could reach you--
Yarden Roman-Gat: No. The windows were open. There were many people around. And as we--
Lesley Stahl: Yelling and cheering--
Yarden Roman-Gat: Yes. Partying.
After enduring similar terrifying experiences, many other hostages were taken into the dark and suffocating tunnels. Yarden, however, was never taken underground.
Lesley Stahl: And where did they take you?
Yarden Roman-Gat: Eventually, we arrived at a house. I was alone, but I never truly felt alone because I had my guardians--
Lesley Stahl: Guards.
Yarden Roman-Gat: Guards--with me 24/7, from the moment I arrived in Gaza until the moment I left.
Lesley Stahl: Were they men, or women, or both, or–
Yarden Roman-Gat: Only men.
Lesley Stahl: Only men.
Yarden Roman-Gat: You cannot object to anything. It could cost you your life.
She was given a hijab that covered most of her body.
Yarden Roman-Gat: I got a very strong feeling this is my-- that fabric is my only protection. That I don't know its effectiveness, but it was the only thing I got.
Lesley Stahl: You could feel hidden a little bit behind that, formless--
Yarden Roman-Gat: The word "hidden" has no place. I was watched and seen at all times. I was not hidden, not for a moment. They could do anything to me. I had—
Lesley Stahl: You were helpless?
Yarden Roman-Gat: I was helpless.
Lesley Stahl: Did you try to engage them so they would see you as a human?
Yarden Roman-Gat: I trying to make them care.
Lesley Stahl: Did it work? Do you think they began to want to protect you?
Yarden Roman-Gat: They did not want to protect me. They wanted to guard their trophy. But I do think I managed to make them care, I don't know, in some levels. And I do think it helped me survive.
Lesley Stahl: Do you think that, at some level, you just shut down, you know? Just almost as if it was happening to another person?
Yarden Roman-Gat: No.
Lesley Stahl: No, you were feeling—
Yarden Roman-Gat: It was happening to me.
There are details about her captivity that she didn't want to share with us.
Lesley Stahl: Did they feed you? You can't talk about that? OK.
She lived with persistent anxiety over the fate of Alon and Geffen. Then, three weeks in, because she could occasionally overhear news on a radio, she happened to catch one of Alon's cousins speaking.
Yarden Roman-Gat: And he mentioned, by the way, the fact that I am and Carmel, my sister-in-law, were held in Gaza.
Lesley Stahl: You heard your name come up on radio.
Yarden Roman-Gat: Yeah. But he didn't mention Alon and Geffen so I could pretty much assume that they were fine.
Along with relief about her husband and child, she was tormented about Carmel, because of the almost constant explosions of the Israeli bombs, leveling neighborhoods all across Gaza.
Lesley Stahl: Were you afraid that that was gonna kill you?
Yarden Roman-Gat: Yes. It's a very frightening experience to be on a war zone. You cannot ignore it. It's very intense.
Meanwhile in Israel there was a growing "bring them home now" movement to pressure the government to prioritize the hostages.
Chant at demonstration: Bring them back home now!
Crowd: Now! Now! Now!
Posters of the hostages are everywhere. This is Romi Gonen who was shot and kidnapped. For her mother Meirav, it's October 7th every day.
Meirav: They're not fed, they are starved. We know about sexual harassment of the women that left there and of the men, also. They're treated with cruelty, the ones that stay there. And it's important to understand that they don't have time.
Yarden's family waged their own campaign, setting up a war room to get her and Carmel freed… even traveling to Washington for help. Eventually, all the pressure paid off. Last month, Israel agreed to cease the bombing and free some Palestinian prisoners, and Hamas issued a daily list of hostages it would free the next day.
Gili Roman: Every day, mostly at night – in the middle of the night - we would get a phone call of whether we are on or off the list.
Yarden's brother Gili Roman.
Lesley Stahl: The way it played out was Hamas would announce who's coming out tomorrow.
Gili Roman: That was the twisted reality show that we lived in. Yes, that is what happened.
Hostage Release and Reunion
Once the hostage releases started, the entire country was glued to television, as each transfer was covered live. But for five excruciating days, neither Yarden nor Carmel were on the list. Then came day six of the cease-fire. After 54 days, Yarden's captors told her: you're getting out.
Yarden Roman-Gat: They wondered, "Why aren't I'm happy?" They almost demanded it. "Be happy.. be happy already. You're going home."
Lesley Stahl: You know, some of the hostages were given drugs to make sure that they looked happy, well-treated. If they had given you—
Yarden Roman-Gat: I don't want to go there.
Lesley Stahl: You don't?
Yarden Roman-Gat: No.
Lesley Stahl: OK.
Escorted by her captors, Yarden was handed over to the Red Cross and transported to Israel.
Alon Gat: I woke up Geffen around 2 o'clock in the morning. I woke her and I told her "We found Mommy. We found Mommy and she's coming back."
The reunion, the embrace took place at a hospital, the first stop for all the released hostages. The last time Yarden had seen her daughter was 54 days earlier when she handed her over to Alon.
Lesley Stahl: So it hasn't been that long since she came home. Is she still the same person?
Alon Gat: Yeah.
Lesley Stahl: She is?
Alon Gat: I think she is. Yeah.
Lesley Stahl: Are you the same person?
Alon Gat: No, I'm a different person. I'm torn apart between finding more information about Carmel. My mother was murdered, so I didn't have time to mourn that. I was emotionally disconnected, and I still feel that way.
Alon's old kibbutz is now filled with rows and rows of burnt-out houses, serving as painful reminders.
Alon Gat: This is Geffen's swing.
The day after Yarden was released, everyone expected his sister Carmel to follow.
Yarden Roman-Gat: The whole day, I kept expecting Carmel. I was almost certain she's the one. (sob)
Lesley Stahl: Oh, dear. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
The cease-fire deal fell apart: no more hostages have come out since. The family war room is still in operation, now focused on Carmel.
Lesley Stahl: And now you're part of the war room.
Yarden Roman-Gat: That's right.
Lesley Stahl: So why did you decide to do the interview?
Yarden Roman-Gat: My sister-in-law Carmel and a group of other hostages are still in Gaza. And it's wrong. We have to stop it. And if we can do anything to help, we will.
Produced by John Doe. Associate producer, Jane Smith. Broadcast associate, Alex Johnson. Edited by Sarah Thompson.
