NBC News reports on the experiences of four Israeli hostages released by Hamas following the October 7, 2023, attacks. The survivors, Ilana Gritzewsky, Agam Goldstein-Almog, Moran Stela Yanai, and Aviva Siegel, recount their traumatic captivity in Gaza, lasting 55 days for Gritzewsky and Yanai and 54 days for Goldstein-Almog and Siegel. Their accounts highlight ongoing psychological struggles, survivor’s guilt, and the lingering impact of their ordeal despite liberation through a prisoner exchange in late November 2023. Gritzewsky, a pastry chef taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz, describes her inability to return to baking, which once defined her livelihood. She expresses anguish over her boyfriend, Matan Zangauker, still held captive among approximately 100 hostages—around a third of whom are presumed dead. Holding onto a necklace gifted by her mother during captivity helped ground her emotionally. Goldstein-Almog, then 18, was captured alongside her mother and siblings, witnessing the murder of her father and sister by Hamas militants in Kfar Aza. She recalls the abrupt shift from a “normal, good and safe life” to surviving in Gaza’s tunnels. Yanai, a jewelry designer, was abducted during a Hamas assault on the Supernova music festival in southern Israel’s Negev region. After hiding in trees during the early morning attack, she inadvertently drew attention by calling for help, leading to her capture. Siegel, released alongside her husband, Keith Siegel, describes clinging to hope despite his continued captivity, vowing to advocate for remaining hostages: “I’m going to scream as loud as I can” for their return. The attacks killed 1,200 people in Israel, per Israeli officials, and saw 250 taken hostage. Over 41,000 people in Gaza have since been killed in Israel’s military response. Released hostages grapple with identity shifts and unresolved trauma, exemplified by Yanai’s reaction to her reflection post-release and Goldstein-Almog’s assertion that full healing is impossible “until everyone returns.” The article underscores the long-term psychological toll on survivors, their enduring bonds with those remaining captive, and the broader human cost of the conflict. Each individual emphasizes the necessity of continued efforts to secure the release of those still held, framing their personal stories within a collective struggle for closure. The piece concludes with acknowledgments of the ongoing search for answers and accountability, reflecting the cyclical nature of trauma for survivors and their families.