AN ISRAELI hostage was forced to spend two years trapped inside Hamas’ terror tunnels without ever seeing another captive.
Avinatan Or, 32, was finally freed on Monday after 738 days as he revealed he faced prolonged starvation and lost up to 40 per cent of his body weight.
Avinatan was snatched from the Nova music festival in southern Israel on October 7, 2023 alongside his girlfriend Noa Argamani, 27.
The first thing he asked for when he was released was to see Noa after the pair were separated almost immediately once captured.
Noa was released during the first set of releases in June 2024.
They shared what was described as their “first cigarette together after two years”, according to the Times of Israel.
Avinatan also revealed that when he was alone in the dark and demonic terror tunnels spread across Gaza he had no idea what life was like above him.
He had no contact with the outside world and left captivity with no knowledge of what had transpired in the 25 months since he was taken hostage.
This meant he didn’t know about the fate of Noa.
He was only told that she was safely released over a year ago on Monday lunchtime.
Avinatan’s torment was one of several deeply troubling stories heard on Monday as the 20 remaining living hostages were returned to Israel.
One of the happiest to be rescued was Elkana Bohbot who spent most of his time chained up in a tunnel by his Hamas tormentors, Channel 12 reports.
While locked in place, he said he had lost all sense of time and space.
He also claimed he only had one shower during his time in captivity.
Unlike Avinatan, he said he was aware of some of what was happening across Israel.
He once managed to catch a glimpse of media reports showing his family members appealing for his release and attending rallies at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv.
Elsewhere kidnapped brothers Gali and Ziv Berman were left panicking almost every day over if the other had survived.
They were split up after being captured and never see each other for the two years despite being held in the same area.
During some periods they said they lacked enough food while at other points they felt they were given plenty.
Some of their captors even spoke to them in Hebrew, according to reports.
The brothers both recalled hearing the devastation occuring in Gaza during their spell underground.
Daily bombs and gunfire occured in the Strip as Israel battled to find the hostages and eliminate the final members of Hamas.
It comes as the Israeli government is starting to grow concerned over the lack of deceased hostaged Hamas has returned so far.
As part of Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, Hamas were ordered to hand back the 28 Israelis who died under their watch.
So far, just eight bodies have been returned.
Relatives of the families of dead hostages erupted in fury when they were told their relatives remain missing.
Hostage support groups have now called on America’s Steve Witkoff to “pull out every stop” to secure the release of the rest of the bodies left in Gaza.
In a letter, the hostage families told Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East: “What we feared is now happening before our eyes.
“Only four families will be able to bring their loved ones to the dignified burial they so deserve and begin final closure. How is this possible? How can we accept that the others remain behind?
“We ask you to pull out every stop and leave no stone unturned in demanding that Hamas fulfil their end of the agreement.”
Hamas claims it has been unable to locate up to 15 corpses lost in the chaos of the Gaza War – but families believe the terror group is holding on to their loved ones’ remains.
Four caskets were given over to Israel yesterday – which Hamas said contained the bodies of Guy Illouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi and Daniel Perez.
