Taken captive: Gali Berman, from Kfar Aza’s ‘young neighborhood’

Gali Berman, 26, is being held captive in Gaza, after being abducted by Hamas terrorists who overran Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7.

He was taken along with his twin brother, Ziv Berman. Both brothers live in the kibbutz’s “young generation” neighborhood. Out of 37 residents of that neighborhood, 11 people were murdered and seven were kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip — among the 1,200 who were killed and 240 kidnapped when gunmen rampaged through southern Israeli communities.

Their older brother, Liran Berman, 36, didn’t spend that holiday weekend with the rest of his family because his wife had tested positive for COVID, he told The Guardian.

Liran was at home in Zichron Ya’akov when sirens began sounding on Shabbat morning. He texted his mother, Talia, 60, Ziv and Gali, and a third brother, Idan, 32, as they hid in their safe rooms.

Berman texted with his younger twin brothers for hours, asking how they were doing and whether they were safe. In the evening, they stopped answering.

Hours later, Talia and the boys’ father, Doron, 64, who has Parkinson’s disease and dementia, were rescued by IDF forces on the kibbutz. Idan was rescued the following afternoon.

It took several days to regain control over Kfar Aza, where more than 60 of 400 residents were murdered and 18 were abducted. During this time, the family didn’t know if Ziv and Gali were dead or kidnapped.

After 10 days of attending countless funerals — sometimes several in one day — the Bermans were told by Israeli officers that the twins were kidnapped by Hamas.

“When we were told they were kidnapped, we were joyful,” said Liran Berman to The Guardian. “It’s such a weird thing. It was a glimmer of hope.”