In a packed Johannesburg synagogue, hearts broke and tears flowed as Or Levy, a survivor of Hamas captivity, shared the unimaginable horrors he endured during 491 days in Gaza, AFP reported.
Brought to South Africa by the Jewish National Fund, Levy’s visit comes amid growing tensions in the local Jewish community over Israel’s war against Hamas.
Levy described the day of his release in February as “simultaneously the best and worst day of my life.” It was the day he learned his wife had been murdered in the October 7 massacre at the Supernova Music Festival, and the day he was reunited with his four-year-old son.
“He just told me: ‘Mom is dead.’ I know, it’s the hardest sentence to hear from a child,” Levy said.
Held in a tunnel beneath Gaza, Levy recounted being shackled for months, fed scraps, and allowed to shower only once every two months. “We were treated like dogs,” he said. “In 2024, I saw the sunlight only once.”
His testimony was part of a growing effort by Israeli-linked organizations to share the stories of survivors and captives with Jewish communities abroad. Levy’s visit follows a similar tour in the United States and precedes one in Australia by fellow hostage Eli Sharabi.
“For me, the main mission is to bring everyone back,” Levy told AFP. “People need to hear what we went through - and what others are still going through.”
Despite criticism from some South African Jews who oppose Israel’s military actions, Levy emphasized the importance of speaking in places where his story might challenge prevailing narratives.
“I didn’t come here to preach to the choir,” he said. “I came here because it matters.”