October 7 · Personal story
Avigail Idan
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Kibbutz Kfar Aza
Current outcome
Released alive · November 26, 2023
Released after 51 days, then reunited with siblings and extended family.
01
Before October 7
Avigail Idan was three, the youngest child of Roy and Smadar. Her older siblings were Michael and Amalia. The family lived in Kfar Aza; Roy worked as a Ynet photojournalist. Her aunt Liron Mor recalled that the cousins had grown up together from infancy, meeting daily and spending much of their time at each other’s homes. Oria Brodutch, who lived nearby, was Avigail’s friend from kindergarten.
02
October 7
On October 7, attackers killed Smadar in the protected room. Roy returned after photographing the attack and carried Avigail outside, where he was shot and killed. Michael and Amalia ran back inside and hid in a cupboard. Avigail escaped and reached the Brodutch family home. Hagar took her into the protected room with her three children and cared for her. Attackers later abducted Avigail with Hagar and the children; Michael and Amalia survived and were rescued from their home.
03
Captivity
Avigail spent 51 days captive with Hagar Brodutch and her three children. She turned four on November 24 while still held. Hagar later said she had to survive for “my three babies and Abigail.” Aunt Liron says the family learned about the captivity mainly from Hagar, who protected Avigail and treated her as one of her own from the start.
04
Return
Avigail was released on November 26, 2023, with Hagar and the Brodutch children. Liron later called the drive to the meeting point at Hatzerim nerve-racking. Avigail went into Liron’s arms. The next day at the hospital, she reunited with Michael and Amalia; Liron said the children hugged, ran through corridors and played.
05
After the return
Liron and her husband Zoli adopted Avigail, Michael and Amalia, raising them with their own three children. In a January 2024 interview, Liron described the six children playing together in a garden playroom filled with toys and art materials. She said Avigail spoke of “Mom Smadar” and “Mom Liron.” On November 24, 2024, Avigail celebrated her fifth birthday with her family. That month, Liron and Zoli said recovery remained ongoing: their daily work was helping all six children heal and adjusting to life together as a family.