Ex-hostage recalls nightmarish Hamas abduction to Gaza

Doron Steinbrecher survived a brutal Hamas kidnapping in Kfar Aza and 471 days in Hamas captivity.

By World Israel News Staff

Former Hamas hostage Doron Steinbrecher spoke about her harrowing abduction from her home in Kfar Aza on October 7, describing how she hid under her bed when she heard gunfire and realized her kibbutz had been invaded by terrorists from the Gaza Strip.

Steinbrecher, who was held captive for 471 days in Gaza, was released alongside other female civilian captivess in a ceasefire and hostage deal in February 2025.

“I pushed the refrigerator against the door to block it. Then the terrorists came in through the window. I crawled under the bed — my heart was pounding, my stomach was in knots. I covered my mouth with my hand, praying they wouldn’t find me and would just leave,” Steinbrecher recalled to the Hebrew-language outlet Mako.

Hamas terrorists then entered Steinbrecher’s apartment and began shooting at the bed.

“I thought, okay — they shot, but maybe they’ve left. But they didn’t. They lifted the bed and saw me hiding underneath,” Steinbrecher recounted.

“At that point, I was still trying to fight, trying to stall for time. I screamed, hoping someone might hear me. But then I realized — I was on my way to Gaza. I understood they were kidnapping me.”

She described a nightmarish scene outside of her apartment, with dozens of terrorists swarming the kibbutz and abducting residents from their homes.

“I saw a convoy of terrorists… they shoved me into a van — we ran fast, and they pushed me inside. I was in the back, with a terrorist on each side and two more in front,” she said.

“There was screaming, chaos: ‘Come on, come on. Go, go.’ They took selfies with me, shouting, ‘We got her,’ with their weapons pointed at me.”

Since her release from Gaza, Steinbrecher has publicly advocated for a comprehensive hostage deal and ceasefire.