Agam Berger’s Journey: From Hamas Captivity to a Mission of Hope
Agam Berger, a young Israeli soldier, spent 482 harrowing days as a hostage in Gaza, held captive by Hamas militants. Her ordeal began on October 7, 2023, a day that marked a brutal assault on Israel and the abduction of numerous civilians and soldiers. The world watched in horror as footage emerged, depicting Agam, bloodied and visibly shaken, alongside four other young female soldiers seized from the Nahal Oz IDF base. These young women were paraded through the streets of Gaza, a cruel display orchestrated by their captors.
After more than a year of unimaginable hardship, Agam finally returned home, a moment of profound relief for her family and the nation. However, her freedom is bittersweet, overshadowed by the plight of the remaining 59 hostages still held in Gaza, both living and deceased. At a recent ceremony held at the Yehezkel Synagogue in Tel Aviv, during a traditional meal of gratitude, Agam’s voice, though trembling, resonated with unwavering determination. She made an impassioned plea for the return of all hostages, declaring, "We won’t rest until they all come home."
Agam’s mother, Merav Berger, shared insights into the profound transformation her daughter underwent during her captivity. She revealed that she herself began to embrace religious observance even before knowing if her daughter was alive. "I began to feel God shaking my world," she explained. Merav, who described her family as traditional but not strictly religious, started observing the Sabbath in Agam’s honor. Remarkably, Agam, who hadn’t kept Shabbat before her abduction, found solace and strength in faith while held in Gaza.
Merav believes that faith and a strong sense of identity were crucial to her daughter’s survival. "They took her body," she told Israeli media, "but they couldn’t take her soul and identity." Agam, along with fellow hostage Liri Albag, received a radio during their initial days in captivity. They recounted listening to voices on the radio, Israelis expressing their unwavering support and determination to bring them home. "We’d hear voices—Israelis saying that we were worth fighting for. That gave us strength," Agam said. However, following the first hostage rescue, the radio was confiscated, as their captors became increasingly paranoid.
In January 2024, an unexpected discovery offered Agam further spiritual comfort. Hamas guards presented them with items recovered from an abandoned Israeli military outpost, including maps, a newspaper, and a Jewish prayer book, a siddur. Agam’s mother later revealed that her daughter had dreamt of a siddur just days before its arrival. "Then it arrived," Merav said. "How do you explain that? That’s not chance. That’s faith." With the prayer book in hand, Agam began to mark Jewish time, creating a sense of normalcy and connection to her heritage within the confines of her captivity.
"We had a watch at first," she told Israeli public radio. "That’s how we knew when it was Shabbat, when it was Yom Kippur. I fasted. On Passover, I refused bread. I asked for corn flour—and they brought it. In a strange way, they respected my religion."
As the months turned into what felt like an eternity, the conditions of their captivity deteriorated. Hamas guards rotated frequently, with some exhibiting cruelty while others remained indifferent. Agam described the constant tension and uncertainty, stating, "They argued with us, scolded us over small things… we didn’t know who we could trust." Despite the harsh realities, she clung to hope, initially believing she would be home in time for her younger brother’s bar mitzvah. When that day passed without her return, she admitted, "That broke me." Yet, she maintained her belief that the ordeal would eventually end.
Even as rumors of a potential hostage deal circulated in early 2025, Agam cautiously guarded her emotions, refusing to allow herself to fully embrace hope. "We heard people talking, but we didn’t think it would happen for us," she said. On January 24th, Liri Elbag was taken away, under the pretense of filming a release video. "They told her she was filming a video – but not that she was going home," Agam explained. "I waited for her. I had made her birthday cards. Then someone told me, ‘Your friends are already home.’"
The following day, the sound of gunfire filled the air. Agam’s captors dressed her in a hijab and drove her in circles for two hours, adding to the confusion and uncertainty. "They didn’t let me take anything – not our notebooks, not the drawings, nothing," she recalled.
Agam’s absence had left a void in her family, but her siblings had stepped up, embodying her strength. Her twin sister, Liyam, remained in the army and even completed officer training while Agam was still missing, driven by a desire to honor her sister. Bar, the younger sister, who had initially planned not to enlist, changed her mind after learning that Agam had promised her fellow hostages she would return to her base after her release. "Three days after Agam came home, she graduated from her unit," her mother proudly shared. "She wanted her to carry it forward."
Now back home, Agam is surrounded by love, support, and endless attention. However, she finds no peace while others remain in captivity. Her focus is resolutely on bringing the remaining hostages home.
In the synagogue, Agam’s message was clear and unwavering. "We won’t rest," she declared, "until every soul – living or dead – comes home." Her mother echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the profound importance of this mission. "This is the Jewish mission. There’s nothing more sacred. It’s our right to exist – and our rebirth as a people – depends on it," she stated. "God brought Agam home," her mother concluded. "Now we have a duty to bring the others back too."
