491 days of captivity: Couple shares story of survival, hope and reunion

THOMASVILLE — As communities across the United States gathered to honor veterans this past week, Thomasville residents had an opportunity to hear the firsthand accounts of two survivors of the Hamas hostage crisis. For the first time, Ohad Ben Ami shared his story in Thomasville, recounting the 491 days he spent in captivity after being kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. His wife, Raz, was also kidnapped that day but was released after 54 days. The couple’s story is one of terror, separation, perseverance and, ultimately, reunion. Early on the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, Ohad and Raz heard the alarm sound in their community of Kibbutz Be’eri. They quickly ran into their home’s safe room, knowing that bombs had been launched into Israel. Raz explained that the safe rooms were designed to protect families from bombings but were not equipped with locks. “They were not meant to keep terrorists from coming in,” she said. “We were used to it.

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