October 7 · Personal story
Arbel Yehoud
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Kibbutz Nir Oz
Current outcome
Released alive · January 30, 2025
Released alive after 482 days in captivity in Gaza.
01
Life before
Arbel grew up in a family with deep roots in Kibbutz Nir Oz. She and Ariel Cunio were high-school sweethearts and shared a home there after returning from a long journey through South and Central America. Relatives remembered her as the aunt who came, played and cared for the children in the family. She loved space and astronomy, interests that stayed with her as she imagined life after captivity. Her home, partner, relatives and kibbutz were part of the ordinary future she had been building.
02
Abduction
On October 7, 2023, Arbel and Ariel were abducted from their home in Nir Oz. Arbel’s brother, Dolev Yehoud, was killed in the kibbutz that day; his remains were identified in June 2024. Their family had lived in Nir Oz for generations. The capture separated Arbel from the community and relatives who had shaped her daily life, while her partner was taken with her.
03
Captivity
Arbel spent 482 days in captivity, held alone by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to her interview six months after release. She described time as one long day, with fear that never eased and uncertainty that made every negotiation seem fragile. She said conditions worsened when talks collapsed and that the moment of release was painful because Ariel was not on the list. She hoped he would not see her leave. After crossing back into Israel, she said her attention stayed on those still held in Gaza.
04
Return
Arbel was released alive on January 30, 2025, after 482 days in captivity. She crossed into Israel without Ariel, who remained held in Gaza. Six months later she said that her thoughts were still with people who had not returned, and described October 7 as one long day. Ariel was released alive on October 13, 2025; The Times of Israel reported that the two reunited that day. They had been separated since their abduction from Nir Oz and each had lived through captivity alone. Their reunion could not return them to their old home, which had been destroyed. In 2026, they described hopes for recovery, a new home and a future together as plans they were trying to build.
05
Aftermath
After Ariel’s release, Arbel spoke about rebuilding with him. Their home in Nir Oz had been destroyed, and they were living near community members who had relocated while the kibbutz was being rebuilt. In a 2026 interview, Arbel and Ariel described wanting a home, a wedding and a family, alongside more distant dreams such as space travel. She had loved astronomy before captivity; that interest sat beside ordinary hopes for safety and a place to live. Her earlier interview showed how strongly she remained focused on other captives. Her later words added another chapter: making room for her own future with Ariel.