Eli Sharabi’s memoir about life in Hamas captivity to be released in US this fall

A memoir by former hostage Eli Sharabi, who was held in captivity for more than a year by Hamas, is coming out this fall in the US.

Sharabi’s “Hostage,” written in Hebrew and already a bestseller in Israel, is the first published memoir by anyone kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists during the deadly onslaught of October 7, 2023. Harper Influence, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced this week that the English-language edition of his book will come out this October 7, the 2-year anniversary of the Hamas-led atrocities.

Sharabi, 53, was released in early February and has said that he had shrunk to under 100 pounds (45 kilograms) — less than the weight of his youngest daughter, who was killed along with his wife and older daughter. Some 1,200 were killed in the attack and 251 were taken hostage.

“It was important to me that the story come out as quickly as possible, so that the world will understand what life is like inside captivity,” Sharabi said in a statement. “Once they do, they will not be able to remain indifferent. But I also want readers to know that even in the darkest of times, you can always seek out the light and choose humanity.”

According to Harper Influence, Sharabi writes about his experience with his captors in “stark, unflinching prose, detailing the relationships the hostages formed with one another, including Alon Ohel, still a hostage in Gaza, with whom Sharabi formed an unbreakable father-son bond.”

“Along the way, Sharabi reveals how his faith gave him the resilience to endure the horrific conditions and overcome mental anguish,” the announcement reads in part.