Former Gaza hostage Almog Meir Jan shared how, having spent 246 days in Gaza, his belief in coexistence crumbled, and how he sees that hatred and the focus on the destruction of Israel are why Gaza is in ruins and why Palestinian society is unable to succeed.
Jan, whose comments were published in an interview with Maariv's Dan Ezra on Thursday, was rescued during Operation "Arnon," which took place in June 2024. The operation was named after the late IDF soldier Arnon Zamora, the commando chief inspector of the Yamam counterterrorism unit, who was mortally wounded in the operation that led to the rescue of Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv from Gaza captivity.
When you hear Arab Knesset members calling IDF soldiers "murderers" and expressing sympathy for the people of Gaza, how does that make you feel?
"It disgusts me that anyone in this country can call a soldier a murderer," Jan said. "Before October 7, I had different thoughts about coexistence and peace. Today, my perspective has changed dramatically."
"I saw it with my own eyes, and eyes don’t lie," He explained. "The people there are driven by hatred, and someone driven by hatred can never reach anything good. You can’t befriend someone like that. During my captivity, my greatest fear was that the people of Gaza would discover where I was, break into the house, and lynch me in the street. That fear haunted me the entire time."
'No innocents in Gaza'
Jan was asked if, after all he had experienced, he believed that there are innocent people in Gaza.
"No. There are no innocents in Gaza."
Speaking of the moment of his rescue, in Operation Arnon, Jan described being in bed when explosions and gunfire erupted. The IDF soldiers then stormed the apartment and killed his captors, who he saw lying in pools of blood.
Your captors were people you had been with for a long time. Were you happy to see them dead?
"Honestly, yes, I was happy. More than happy. These were people who had tormented us terribly. I walked over his body and spat on him. I said, 'Thank God, blessed is He who has freed us.' It was exactly like that. In that moment, I felt that suddenly I had value."
He explained, "For eight months, 246 days, I was nothing. My life meant nothing. And suddenly, when I hear on the radio, 'The diamonds are in our hands,' I feel like a diamond. I’m the most precious thing now; they came for me. Five minutes before, I could’ve died, and no one would have cared. And now, I’m everything."
October 7: 'All the signs showed I had to be there'
When asked about the morning of October 7, Jan recalled arriving at the Nova festival with his army friend Tomer Strostha. The night started normally, but at 6:30 a.m., rockets began falling. While trying to leave in traffic, four terrorists emerged from a civilian car with an Israeli license plate and began shooting.
When asked about what went through his mind when terrorists surrounded his car, Jan described the attack as intense and chaotic. Their vehicle was hit by numerous bullets, and he saw a terrorist with an RPG fire at the vehicle next to them while he and the attacker made direct eye contact. That was the last time he saw Tomer and the other friends with him. He recalled shouting “Follow me” and running into the bushes, while the others likely went elsewhere and were killed.
"After 40 minutes in the bushes, when I only heard Arabic around me, I realized I was being kidnapped," he said.
Gaza hostages starved and mentally abused in captivity
What were the first days in Gaza like?
"The first days were very hard. There was no food, just salty water. We were blindfolded with our hands tied behind our backs. Sometimes, they would tie our hands to our legs behind us, sitting like a pretzel, tight and painful. The captors would eat in front of us. They had food. They would go to the market and buy, but chose not to give us anything. They’d bring us a plate and take food for themselves. They played games with us, bringing us coffee or tea, but in the end, it was disgusting water."
What did you know about what was happening outside?
Jan explained that during his captivity, he was aware of protests and tensions within the Israeli government and the public, which made him feel angry and disappointed that the country was not united.
"I was angry at the country. I felt we hostages needed you to be united, and it hurt to know you weren’t."
His captors repeatedly warned him, “If the army comes to rescue you, we’ll kill you,” and he believed them. He prayed that any release would happen through a negotiated deal rather than a military rescue.
"I feared dying two minutes before freedom," he explained.
Jan returns from captivity to news of his father's death
When asked about the day of his return to Israel, Jan recounted that after returning from captivity, he was initially overjoyed, hugging everyone and feeling “on cloud nine.” Two hours later, his mother told him that his father, Yitzhak, had passed away at home on the very day he was freed.
He recalled feeling a deep anger and a profound sense of missed opportunity, saying that he and his father had often fought before his captivity.
During his time as a hostage, he said, he reflected on their strained relationship and wished he could have told his father how much he loved him. The day after his return, he attended his father’s funeral.
You speak about the captors and the Gazans with great clarity. Do you ever think about revenge?
"I’ve thought about it many times. But let’s look at the Palestinians; they’ve been busy with revenge for 50 years. If they were focused on education, building, and creating a sewage system, their lives would be different. They’re busy playing the victim and hating Jews."
"If we focus only on revenge, we’ll go backward like them. My greatest revenge is not to deal with them, but to succeed. When my captor Muhammad came to me with a gun on my bed and said, 'You’ll rot here, the dogs will eat your body in the streets of Gaza,' my answer today is to live, travel the world, smile, and raise awareness. That’s the victory."
Almog Meir Jan: Palestinians brought this on themselves
When asked about the possibility of peace in the future, Jan said he believed it might be possible within two generations, but only if there were major changes in education and a reduction in weapons and violence. He emphasized that hatred and terror must end, and said that he does not pity those responsible, as they caused their own suffering.
"As long as hatred and terror are the driving forces, it will never happen. And I say this clearly: I don’t pity them. They did this with their own hands. They brought this on themselves."
What are your plans for the near future?
"I’m flying to India, to the Nova festival in Goa, and then to Thailand. I deserve a little vacation. I’m working hard on projects and lectures, and it’s time to breathe. It’s important to me to remind the world of those who didn’t return alive, like Ran Gvili. We wake up every morning for those who aren’t here to be better people and grow from the pain. If we’re united, nothing can defeat us."