Eli Sharabi, a former Israeli hostage, on Sunday met former US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of a Philadelphia Eagles football game.
Sharabi, who was abducted during the Hamas-led massacre of October 7, 2023, and held until his release in February 2025 under a ceasefire agreement, shared his reflections on the encounter.
“It was a deep honor to meet President Biden in Philadelphia. We thanked him sincerely for his efforts toward the release of the hostages and for his steadfast support of the State of Israel. We are grateful for this meaningful opportunity,” Sharabi wrote on social media.
Sharabi, a member of Kibbutz Be’eri, was held captive for 491 days in tunnels beneath Gaza. His wife Lianne and daughters Noiya and Yahel were murdered in their safe room during the October 7 attack. Sharabi was unaware of their deaths until after his release. His brother Yossi was also kidnapped and later died in captivity.
Following his release, Sharabi published a memoir titled “Hostage”, recounting his harrowing experiences in captivity. Last month, Time magazine selected “Hostage” as one of the 100 “must-read” books published in the past year.
In October, Sharabi sent an English copy of his book to US President Donald Trump.