At the Nova Music Festival, Evyatar David enjoyed the company of his closest friends, immersed in a vibrant atmosphere unlike any he had experienced. He had gone to celebrate, but the festivities ended abruptly.
He recalled, “It was likely the most beautiful gathering I’ve ever attended, filled with wonderful people and an incredible energy.”
He noted, “At 6:29 a.m., everything shifted dramatically.” Within moments, he described, “the scene descended into chaos—people dying, screaming, panic filling the air, and rockets exploding overhead.”
His best friend, Guy Gilboa‑Dalal, ran off in another direction and was also kidnapped; two other friends were killed.
Evyatar David, childhood friend freed after 738 days in Hamas captivity
David, a 22‑year‑old from Kfar Saba in central Israel, was seized by Hamas militants at the festival on 7 October 2023. He spent 738 days in captivity before being freed on 13 October 2025 under a cease‑fire deal; his childhood friend Guy Gilboa‑Dalal was released on the same date.
Speaking with The Media Line on 7 October 2026—the third anniversary of the Hamas attacks—David recounted the violence of that day and the psychological toll of the ensuing two years. The interview occurred at the Davidson Center in Jerusalem, where he addressed the Friends of Zion Ambassador Summit, a gathering of Christian leaders and supporters of Israel.
When asked what troubled him most, he pointed to the friends who never returned.
He said, “There’s too much to put into words. I carry many memories from that day, from October 7 and from my captivity, but what stays with me most is the loss of my dear friends who were killed at the Nova Music Festival.”
“It’s Ron Zarfati and Idan Haramaty. They were murdered. For me, that is the hardest part.”
He repeated the sentiment.
“It’s the hardest thing.”
Mentioning their names refocused the conversation on the personal loss at the heart of his story. Beyond his captivity, David mourns the friends he had gone to celebrate with.
His recollections of being taken into Gaza include beatings in the streets, carried out not only by Hamas fighters but also by local residents, including children.
He said, “They paraded us through the streets and beat us. It didn’t matter whether the perpetrators were Hamas fighters or local civilians—children and adults alike were involved.”
David connected what he saw and endured to his perception of how children in Gaza are raised.
“This is how they are growing up, and this is how they are being educated there in Gaza.”
Evyatar David Recalls Hamas Captors’ Threats to Kill Jews in Israel
He also recounted what Hamas told him about its goals: “Hamas said they would keep killing until the last Jew left Israel, claiming that was the only path to peace for them.”
For much of his captivity, David was imprisoned in the tunnels beneath Gaza. His condition gained international attention in August 2025, when Hamas released propaganda footage depicting him severely emaciated, ribs visible as he sat in a narrow underground passage. In one video he said he received almost no food and showed a makeshift calendar marking the days he had eaten.
The most disturbing images depict David holding a shovel and digging a pit in the tunnel; he said he feared he was digging his own grave. The footage drew international condemnation and heightened worries about the treatment and survival of the hostages still held in Gaza.
David later said his captors ordered him into the pit and told him it would be his grave. So weakened that digging was nearly impossible, he feared he might die of starvation. Images of his emaciated frame have become some of the most widely recognized symbols of the hostages’ suffering.
When asked to name the worst experience of his captivity, he described the captors’ attempt to make the hostages feel abandoned.
He explained, “The psychological terrorism they inflicted tried to break us mentally, telling us that our government, the United States, and even our families had abandoned us.”
The message moved from rejection to the prospect of years without freedom.
“Nobody wants us, and we’ll be stuck here for years,” he said. “Not knowing what’s happening outside made this especially hard to endure.”
Without information about the outside world, he could not see the efforts being made on behalf of the hostages.
“So we didn’t realize how many people were advocating for us.”
“And that was perhaps the hardest part for me.”
Amid that uncertainty, the release of other hostages provided concrete proof that going home was possible.
Release of fellow hostages gave Evyatar David hope of returning home
When asked about his most hopeful moment aside from his own release, David recalled the period just before he came home and the first hostage exchange. Seeing others leave let him picture himself following them.
“The most hopeful moment was likely the days before my release, but also during the first hostage deal, when I realized, ‘Okay, this is happening. It may take time, but people are being freed.’”
“I could see myself in their place, and that gave me hope.”
His return has not lessened his concern about threats beyond Gaza. When discussion turned to other attacks—including the recent Flydubai incident—and what the world overlooks, David warned that terrorist groups remain intent on killing.
“We need to open our eyes and recognize that radical Islamic groups and all terrorist organizations will seek to eliminate us by any means, without limit. We witnessed that on October 7,” he said.
He also referenced the September 11 attacks.
“So we know that anything is possible and we must stay vigilant. It’s crucial,” he emphasized again.
When pressed on whether the world understood, he drew a line between those who lived through the violence and those who only observed it.
“It depends on which world you mean. I think most of the world doesn’t grasp it, because if they were victims they would see things differently.”
“It’s us. It surrounds us. It’s within us.”
David views ideology as central to the attack and believes the threat reaches far beyond Israel.
“All radical Islamic groups carried out the October 7 massacre because of their ideology. You can see the same pattern worldwide—in Paris, London, and many other places—where it slowly spreads and intensifies.”
“I hope the world comes to understand this quickly, before it’s too late,” he said.
Evyatar David urges people to appreciate life’s simple moments
Beyond the warning, his message about life ahead is also a call to cherish everyday blessings. When asked what he wished to share as a young person who has endured so much, David pointed to the everyday things we often overlook.
“It’s simple: appreciate everything—your family, your parents, your brothers and sisters.”
His list extends beyond loved ones to simple pleasures.
“The sunlight, the stars, every little thing you can think of right now—you might be sitting on your couch or chair. Appreciate it, because anything can be taken away in an instant.”
That thought brought him back to how suddenly his life changed—from celebrating with friends at a festival to gunfire, separation, murder, and captivity.
“It’s unexpected, but this is how the world works—anything can happen.”
At Nova, David had simply wanted to enjoy time with his closest friends. After 738 days in captivity, his message is to recognize the value of such moments while they last.
“Appreciate it.”