'Every day in Gaza was hell': Freed Hamas hostages, siblings speak out

Released hostages Maya and and her younger brother Itay Regev spoke about their time in Hamas captivity in Gaza and their desire for their friend, Omer, to be freed, in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday by Bring Them Home Now.

“My name is Maya Regev. I was taken hostage with my younger brother and one of my best friends,” Maya explains.

The 21-year-old woman was abducted by Hamas from the Supernova music festival in Re’im.

She was released in one of the rounds of hostage-prisoner exchanges last month after spending 50 days in Hamas captivity.

Heartbreaking testimonies of those who were released from Hamas terror organization captivity. Released captives Itay and Maya Regev testify: "Every day there is like hell. Endless fear, zero sleep. The uncertainty is simply terrifying. The days there seem like an eternity, and… pic.twitter.com/g0bIjxwPYP

— Bring Them Home Now (@bringhomenow) December 10, 2023

“I was held by Hamas for 54 days,” Itay Regev said. “Every day feels like an eternity. The days are very difficult—and I mean whether it’s the hunger, the longing for the family, the hard mentality, [or] the difficult conditions.”

Itay, who is 18-years-old, was released in a subsequent hostage-prisoner swap several days after his sister along with eleven other hostages, including two Russian citizens.

“Every day there is like hell”

“Every day there is like hell,” Maya continued. “Abnormal fear. Zero sleep at night. The longings are crazy and the lack of knowledge is just scary.”

Maya had been released with sixteen other hostages, including four foreigners. According to a post on X from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's account earlier this month, she had been shot in the leg during her abduction.

This week I visited our wounded at Soroka Medical Center. I met there with heroic fighters and another hero—Mia Regev who was abducted by Hamas murderers from the party at Reim. They shot her and wounded her leg. She endured physical and mental tribulations but is recovering.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) December 2, 2023

Upon returning home, she was sent to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba.

In the Bring Them Home Now video, Maya sits in a wheelchair next to Itay with her leg elevated. The pair wear shirts that say “Bring Omer Home.”

“I have a friend named Omer who I miss very much,” Itay said.

“God, I miss him,” Maya added.

“Omer is still there,” Itay said, “and I know what he goes through in there, and I know how frightening it is. We must bring Omer, and all of the hostages, back now.”