October 7 · Personal story
Hila Shoshani-Rotem
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Home in Kibbutz Be’eri
Current outcome
Released alive · November 25, 2023
Released alive after 50 days in captivity
01
Before October 7
Hila Rotem-Shoshani lived in Kibbutz Be’eri with her mother, Raya. She was twelve when the attack began. Her friend Emily Hand had stayed overnight at their home, so the two girls were together on the morning of October 7. Raya’s brother Yair and Hila’s father, Rami Shoshani, were among the relatives who tried to keep contact as the attack unfolded. KAN’s family chronology preserves their messages and calls from that morning.
02
October 7
Raya, Hila and Emily sheltered in the safe room while gunfire sounded outside. Around midday, terrorists entered the house. Raya managed to tell Yair in a message that they were being kidnapped before her phone was seized. The attackers forced them into the home of an elderly neighbour, Eli Karsenti, then into a vehicle bound for Gaza. KAN records their transfer to a residential house under armed guard. Their families initially received reports that the girls had been killed, before receiving confirmation that they had been abducted.
03
In captivity
Hila was held with Raya and Emily for much of her captivity. In a January 2024 CNN interview, with Yair translating, she described being ordered to stay very quiet. When she spoke too loudly, a captor made her sit alone in another room facing the guards as punishment. In an interview reported by The Jerusalem Post, she described little food and water, hearing other children outside, and having to ask permission to use the bathroom. The captives were moved between houses, sometimes during the night. Two days before the girls’ release, the captors separated them from Raya. Hila told CNN that the separation was very hard. Her uncle later recalled her saying that she had been able to hug her mother before leaving.
04
Return
Hila and Emily were released on November 25, 2023, after 50 days in captivity. Hila was welcomed by her father and Yair, while Raya remained in Gaza. On November 27, Hila turned thirteen. Yair told CNN that she had shown him her hair, which Raya had cut during captivity. Two days later, on November 29, Raya was released, allowing mother and daughter to reunite.
05
After captivity
Hila began sharing her own account after returning. During a visit to New York in January 2024, she appeared on CNN with her uncle to describe captivity and support efforts to bring other hostages home. In a December 2024 Ynet family interview, Raya described difficulty sleeping and being startled by noises. Hila spoke about wanting to return to Be’eri if it became safe, and about a trip abroad with her mother. Their account described recovery alongside school, family life and the continuing campaign for those who had not yet returned.