Six months after her release from Hamas captivity in Gaza, Arbel Yehud is speaking publicly about the emotional toll of her experience — and her relentless fight to bring the remaining hostages home.
Yehud recalls that her release came not with relief, but with deep anguish over leaving her partner, Ariel Cunio, behind. “From the moment the deal was confirmed, all I could think about was that I was on the list and he wasn’t,” she says. “I hoped he wouldn’t see me leave — I didn’t want it to be even harder for him.”
She describes the trauma of collapsed hostage deals and the emotional devastation they cause: “I felt abandoned and forgotten. I can’t imagine what they’re feeling now — after a ceasefire, returning to bombings.”
According to Yehud, moments of stalled negotiations or potential rescues are often the most dangerous for hostages. “That’s when the treatment worsens, weapons are cocked, and abuse or psychological terror can follow.”
In a direct plea to Israeli leaders, she urges action: “Every day I wake up to news of another fallen soldier. I don’t understand what the goal is. Military pressure isn’t bringing them home. Those who can act must take a brave step and end this.”
Since returning, Yehud has put aside her own recovery to focus entirely on the campaign for the hostages. “I’m not dealing with my healing,” she says. “I know it would weaken me — so I’m giving everything to this fight.”