Hamas teased Israeli hostage about imminent release, family says

Matan Zangauker was told he’d go free with Edan Alexander but was cruelly left behind, deepening trauma, according to a Channel 12 report.

By David Brummer, World Israel News

The family of Matan Zangauker, an Israeli hostage held in Gaza, has learned that Hamas deceived him into believing he would be released alongside fellow hostage Edan Alexander, according to a Channel 12 report aired on Sunday.

Zangauker, a 21-year-old from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 attacks and has been in captivity ever since.

The new details emerged following Alexander’s recent release in a hostage exchange deal. The two were reportedly held in the same location.

On the day of Alexander’s release, Hamas operatives informed Zangauker that he too would be freed.

They instructed him to pack his belongings and prepare to return home to Israel.

According to his family, he was told he would reunite with his loved ones imminently.

Trusting their words, he refrained from sending a message to his mother with Alexander, believing he would soon speak to her in person.

But instead of granting him freedom, Hamas abruptly reversed course, leaving Zangauker behind.

The family believes this cruel manipulation took a severe emotional toll on him, compounding the psychological trauma of more than a year in captivity.

On Saturday, Hamas released a photo showing Zangauker lying on a bed and connected to an IV drip, claiming he was at risk due to Israeli military activity in the area where he is being held.

Israeli officials have not verified the image or his current condition but have accused Hamas of using hostages as human shields and psychological pawns.

The report has fueled renewed calls for international pressure on Hamas to release all remaining hostages. More than 100 Israelis and foreign nationals are believed to still be held in Gaza.

Matan’s father, Eyal Zangauker, has been an outspoken advocate for hostage release efforts and recently joined other families in demonstrations urging the Israeli government to reach a deal to bring their loved ones home.

“This is not a strategic issue. It is a moral one,” he said in a recent interview. “These are human lives.”

The Prime Minister’s Office has not commented on the specific report but reiterated its commitment to securing the release of all hostages, Israel National News reported.