{{Short description|Israeli soldier and former hostage}} {{pp-extended|small=yes}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox event | partof = Gaza war hostage crisis | image = Release of Agam Berger, January 30, 2025, January 2025. VI.jpg | caption = Agam Berger after her release, January 30, 2025 | date = {{start and end dates|2023|10|07|2025|01|30}} | duration = 482 days | Location = Nahal Oz, southern Israel }} <noinclude> '''Agam Berger''' is an Israeli soldier who was abducted from the Nahal Oz outpost by Hamas during the October 7 attack on Israel in 2023 and held hostage in Gaza for 482 days. Her captivity and eventual release received widespread media attention in Israel and internationally. During her captivity, Berger intensified her Jewish faith, observing Shabbat<ref name="d405">{{cite web |date=February 20, 2025 |title=Agam Berger recounts her she kept her faith in captivity |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-842933 |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref> and keeping kosher despite pressure<ref name="o322">{{cite web |date=February 23, 2025 |title=Released hostage Agam Berger recounts experience of Gaza captivity |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-843293 |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref> and food shortages.
After her release as part of the January 2025 Gaza war ceasefire, Berger actively campaigned for the remaining hostages in Gaza, speaking alongside American elected officials and Jewish leaders and urging the global Jewish community to act for their return. An accomplished violinist, Berger was gifted a 130-year-old violin that belonged to a Holocaust victim<ref name="f883">{{cite web |last=Freiberg |first=Nava |last2=Magid |first2=Jacob |date=March 10, 2025 |title=Freed hostage Agam Berger given violin used by Jewish musician murdered in Holocaust |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/freed-hostage-agam-berger-plays-violin-used-by-jewish-musician-murdered-in-holocaust/ |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref> and has performed at major commemorative events, including the March of the Living at Auschwitz-Birkenau.<ref name="h064">{{cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Jessica |date=April 11, 2025 |title=Ex-hostage Agam Berger will perform at Auschwitz during March of the Living |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-hostage-agam-berger-will-perform-at-auschwitz-during-march-of-the-living/ |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref>
==Background== Berger was born on August 22, 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |last=News |first=Israel National |title=Birthday in captivity: Agam, released hostage, writes to her friend in Hamas captivity |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/395036 |access-date=2026-01-02 |website=Israel National News |language=en}}</ref> Berger grew up in a fairly secular family<ref name="t038">{{cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Jessica |date=January 24, 2025 |title='Done a lot of praying': Family of hostage Agam Berger finds strength, hope in faith |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/done-a-lot-of-praying-family-of-hostage-agam-berger-finds-strength-hope-in-faith/ |access-date=July 15, 2025 |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref> in Holon<ref name="o317">{{cite news |date=January 30, 2025 |title=Agam Berger: The IDF observer who refused Hamas' orders to violate Shabbat |url=https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/01/30/agam-berger-the-idf-observer-who-refused-hamas-orders-to-violate-shabbat/ |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=Israel Hayom}}</ref> with a twin sister and a brother who celebrated his bar mitzvah during her captivity. She began playing violin at the age of 8.<ref name="o3172">{{cite news |last=Cohen |first=Shirit Avitan |date=January 30, 2025 |title=Agam Berger: The IDF observer who refused Hamas' orders to violate Shabbat |url=https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/01/30/agam-berger-the-idf-observer-who-refused-hamas-orders-to-violate-shabbat/ |access-date=July 20, 2025 |website=Israel Hayom}}</ref> Berger served just one day as a military lookout before her kidnapping.<ref name="o317" /> She left behind a video recording in which she played Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" on violin.<ref name="w357" />
==Kidnapping== {{Further|Nahal Oz attack}} In the middle of the Nahal Oz attack, Berger reportedly called her parents using the phone of a friend who was killed next to her.<ref name="k590" /> Berger described hearing shots being fired and people crying.<ref name="k590" /> She was abducted with six other soldiers to Gaza.<ref name="k590" /> In a Hamas Telegram video, Berger was seen being led to a car, bloodied and dressed in her pajamas.<ref name="t038" />
==Captivity==
Berger described how she was threatened by her captors, witnessed physical abuse and torture of other female hostages, and was required to stay quiet.<ref name="r510">{{cite web |last=Cuddy |first=Alice |date=February 13, 2025 |title=Israel-Gaza war: Parents of freed Hamas hostages give details of ordeal |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxnwnz1ldko |access-date=July 15, 2025 |website=BBC Home}}</ref> She said her captors were "playing all the time with their guns and their hand grenades", disrespected the women and forced them to clean and prepare food.<ref name="r510" /> Berger increased her Shabbat observance while in captivity, later explaining, “ I was kidnapped because I’m Jewish. I risked my life to hold onto that identity. You can’t take away my free will{{snd}} and you can’t take away my Judaism."<ref name="k515">{{cite web |last=Edelson |first=Daniel |date=May 12, 2025 |title='A Jew is a messenger of hope': Ex-hostage calls on US Jews to act in plea to free captives |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjz0hlk11xl |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=ynetnews}}</ref> She added that her captors viewed her religious observance as a positive attribute, even though they viewed the Jewish religion as false.<ref name="d4052">{{cite web |date=February 20, 2025 |title=Agam Berger recounts her she kept her faith in captivity |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-842933 |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref> When she and her fellow captives requested Chanukah candles, they were given only one.<ref name="w090">{{cite web |last=Goldenberg |first=Tia |date=February 25, 2025 |title=Freed Israeli hostage held onto faith to get through months of captivity in Gaza |url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-hostage-gaza-hamas-ceasefire-war-ec0096d7c0e0fd8316f2ceefdb8ca46b |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=AP News}}</ref> During Passover, Berger used corn flour and avoided leavened bread.<ref name="n187">{{cite web |last=Freid |first=Shilo |date=February 19, 2025 |title=Freed hostage Agam Berger talks about her religious observance |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjz36tmcje |access-date=July 20, 2025 |website=ynetnews}}</ref>
After Israeli forces rescued Shlomi Ziv, Noa Argamani, Andrey Kozlov, and Almog Meir Jan in June 2024, Berger's captors took away the radio she and her fellow captives used for news.<ref name="m201">{{cite web |last=Berman |first=Lazar |date=February 25, 2025 |title=Freed hostage on deal debate: 'We felt like our lives weren't worth enough' |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/freed-hostage-on-deal-debate-we-felt-like-our-lives-werent-worth-enough/ |access-date=July 20, 2025 |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref> Berger was held with Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, and Naama Levy. When the four were released in January 2025, Berger remained behind. Albag requested to stay behind in solidarity with Berger, but the captors refused.<ref name="o317" /> Berger said she was forced to film videos thanking her captors.<ref name="m201" />
== Efforts to release == While Berger was in captivity, her family received a phone call from Agam Goldstein-Almog, a 17-year old hostage who had been released in November 2023. Goldstein-Almog told Berger's parents, "She will get out".<ref name="w357">{{cite web |last=Hjelmgaard |first=Kim |last2=Bravo |first2=Veronica |last3=Torrey |first3=Ariana |last4=Padilla |first4=Ramon |last5=Beatty |first5=Laura J. |date=October 5, 2024 |title=Israeli family waits for news on hostage daughter: What they know |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2024/10/05/israel-hamas-hostages-october-7-one-year-heartbreak/75303229007/ |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=USA TODAY}}</ref> Berger's family marked her 20th birthday in her absence with a ''Kabbalat Shabbat'' event at the Anu Museum of the Jewish People, featuring musical performances by Jane Bordeaux, Etti Ankri, and Yair Dalal.<ref name="i226">{{cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Jessica |date=August 25, 2024 |title=Family marks 20th birthday of hostage Agam Berger with music and song |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/family-marks-20th-birthday-of-hostage-agam-berger-with-music-and-song/ |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref> Berger briefly saw a broadcast of her mother speaking at the event before her captors shut off the television.<ref name="k515" /> Berger's parents began observing Shabbat after she was taken captive.<ref name="t038" />
=== Release === In late January 2025, Berger was freed along with 7 other hostages as part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas. In a 'highly choreographed' ceremony in northern Gaza, Berger was released first.<ref name="k590">{{cite web |last=Odenheimer |first=Natan |last2=Livni |first2=Ephrat |last3=Minsberg |first3=Talya |last4=Bigg |first4=Matthew Mpoke |date=January 30, 2025 |title=Who Are the 3 Israeli Hostages Released Thursday? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/world/middleeast/israeli-hostages-released-arbel-yehud-agam-berger-gadi-moses.html |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>
==Post-release activities== Berger braided the hair of some Israeli children who were released from Hamas captivity during the temporary ceasefire in November 2023. After she braided the hair of Israeli female soldiers who were released in January 2025, “Braids for Agam” graphics circulated on social media in Israel and abroad. Events held in her honor included challah-braiding, a dedicated display at a wig store, and El Al women employees braiding their hair.<ref name="o967">{{cite web |last=Cramer |first=Philissa |date=January 30, 2025 |title=Jewish women are braiding challah and hair to mark the release of Israeli hostage Agam Berger |url=https://www.jta.org/2025/01/30/culture/us-jews-are-braiding-challah-and-hair-to-mark-the-release-of-israeli-hostage-agam-berger |access-date=July 20, 2025 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency}}</ref>
In May 2025, Berger spoke in New York alongside Mayor Eric Adams, declaring "A Jew is a messenger of hope{{snd}} be messengers of hope for our hostages".<ref name="k515" /> Berger also met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris and told him that diplomatic efforts alone would not sway Hamas to return the remaining hostages.<ref name="l511">{{cite web |last=Freiberg |first=Nava |date=May 24, 2025 |title=Former hostage Agam Berger to French FM: 'Diplomatic solutions' won't end conflict |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/former-hostage-agam-berger-to-french-fm-diplomatic-solutions-wont-end-conflict/ |access-date=July 18, 2025 |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref>
Violinist Miri Ben-Ari, an American-Israeli Grammy winner, invited Berger to perform with her.<ref name="m977">{{cite web |last=Lukash |first=Alexandra |date=February 2, 2025 |title=Grammy Award-winning American-Israeli violinist invites Agam Berger to perform with her |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/rj3cat3dkl |access-date=July 19, 2025 |website=ynetnews}}</ref>
At the March of the Living at Auschwitz, Berger played a violin that survived the Holocaust, for an audience that included President Isaac Herzog and Polish President Andrzej Duda. Reflecting on that experience, Berger noted, "On Polish soil, I promised to keep this violin alive{{snd}} and to play the eternal melody of the Jewish people."<ref name="k515" />
==See also==
* Kidnapping of Liri Albag * Kidnapping of Naama Levy * January 2025 Gaza war ceasefire
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.nbcnews.com/video/emotional-family-reunions-for-released-israeli-hostages-agam-berger-and-gadi-moses-230709317855 Emotional scenes as released Israeli hostages Agam Berger and Gadi Moses reunite with families], NBC News, January 23, 2025 *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc-HhprIllY Agam Berger and Daniel Wais perform Shir Hamaalot at the 2025 March of the Living], Youtube, April 2025 {{Gaza war}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Berger, Agam}}
Category:Crimes against prisoners of war Category:Violence against women in Israel Category:War crimes in the Gaza war
Category:October 2023 in Israel Category:Missing person cases in Israel Category:Formerly missing Israeli people Category:2020s missing person cases