Time to Heal: Bring the Hostages Home Now, A Conversation with Noa Argamani | Global Conference 2025

Speaker Profiles and Event Context:

• Noam Gamani (26) from Be'er Sheva, a hostage captured on October 7 and rescued in June.
• Yossi Sharabi (53) and Itai Svirsky (38, from Tel Aviv) were hostages held with Gamani; both were murdered within the first 100 days of captivity.
• The session took place at the Milken Institute Global Conference, aimed at "opening eyes" to the realities of the hostage crisis beyond social media.

Current Hostage Situation and Conditions:

• 59 hostages remain captive in Gaza as of the conference.
• Captives lack basic access to restrooms, food, water, and hygiene products (specifically shampoo/conditioner).
• Some hostages must shower only twice a month due to resource scarcity.
• Released hostages, including Gamani, have limited information regarding the whereabouts of others, specifically Avi Natan.

Avi Natan Case Status:

• Gamani and Avi Natan were together at the NOVA music festival on October 7 and were captured simultaneously.
• They had been in a relationship for three years, though separated by Gaza confinement for half that time.
• Gamani last saw Natan in the chaotic footage shown at the event; no released hostages have confirmed seeing him since.
• While Natan's status is unknown, Gamani and the organization maintain he is alive and being held.

Recognition and Personal Burden:

• Gamani was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people of 2025, an honor she attributes to all remaining hostages.
• She describes the dissonance of receiving global recognition while knowing captives are still "stealing in the tunnels of Gaza."
• Gamani expressed difficulty returning to a "normal life," noting that every morning she wakes thinking of how to push for a deal to free Natan and the others.

Casualties and Dangers Identified by Gamani:

• Gamani confirms that Itai Svirsky was executed by Hamas guards roughly 100 days into captivity.
• Yossi Sharabi was killed when a rocket strike destroyed their shelter, leaving him buried under rubble; Gamani was unable to save him in time.
• Gamani emphasizes that the hostage situation is active warfare where conditions can deteriorate "every second."
• The statistic cited: Only eight hostages have been successfully rescued; many others who were kidnapped alive have been returned as bodies.

Rescue Narrative and Emotional Impact:

• Gamani's rescue occurred after eight months of captivity, initially mistaken for enemy fire before she realized soldiers spoke Hebrew.
• Her immediate reaction upon seeing the Israeli flag and Hebrew products was a demand for confirmation of her mother's safety.
• She was relieved to learn her mother was alive, a moment she identifies as pivotal to her survival.

Public Sympathy and International Events:

• Gamani expressed distress over offensive anti-Israel comments made by an Irish band at the recent Coachella festival.
• She drew a direct parallel between Coachella attendees and the NOVA festival victims, stating, "It could happen to each one of us."
• She criticized the lack of global sympathy for Israel, framing the conflict as an unchosen tragedy for civilians who only sought to "dance and have fun."

Strategic Calls to Action:

• Gamani urges the audience to continuously share hostage stories to maintain public pressure and prevent the issue from fading.
• The primary stated solution for the release of all captives is the immediate negotiation of a comprehensive deal.
• Proposed actions for the public include displaying yellow pins to raise awareness and ensuring the hostage crisis remains a daily topic.
• Gamani stresses that without a deal, the risk of hostages being killed daily remains imminent.