Romi Gonen, who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and released after 471 days in captivity, was discharged Thursday from Sheba Medical Center, where she has been hospitalized for the past five months.
Gonen underwent two surgeries due to injuries sustained on October 7 and the lack of medical treatment during her time in Hamas captivity.
On her last day at the hospital, she moved between the staff members in the rehabilitation department, thanking them for their dedicated and warm care. She also held a "release ceremony" with her new friends from the department, who include soldiers injured in the fighting in Gaza.
In a post published on her Instagram account, Gonen wrote, "I was discharged from the hospital!... I have been in Israel for almost half a year, nearly five months of which I spent in the hospital. Today, I am being discharged and taking another step toward my freedom."
She wrote, "On October 7, I was brutally kidnapped to the Gaza Strip. On July 10, I am being discharged from the hospital after a truly difficult period. Suffering from pain, undergoing surgeries, getting up and falling down every time."
Gonen added, "Unfortunately, I am leaving with the knowledge that soon I will return here, for my third surgery. I felt I needed freedom and quiet. I felt I must know what it’s like to be truly free, not bound to any place. Just doing what I want."
She thanked the medical staff who accompanied her: "I want to thank some important people from Sheba Medical Center who accompanied me throughout the journey, and thanks to them, I am where I am today."
In conclusion, Gonen referred to the other hostages still held in Gaza, saying, "The hostages are still not here, and my heart is with them there in Gaza... I pray that we will return to be a united and whole people. A people of love and joy, of care and concern. We only have each other."