October 7 · Personal story
Noga Weiss
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Her parents’ home in Kibbutz Be’eri
Current outcome
Released alive · November 25, 2023
Released alive with her mother Shiri on November 25, 2023, after 50 days.
01
Life before October 7
Noga Weiss grew up in Be’eri with parents Ilan and Shiri and older sisters Meital and Maayan. She planned to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces. A month before October 7 she began volunteer service and postponed enlistment; later she said she regretted the delay and planned to call October 8 to move it forward. Her life was rooted in Be’eri, with family nearby and a future in service she had chosen.
02
October 7
Noga was at her parents’ home when the Red Alert siren sounded. Her father Ilan left to help the kibbutz emergency team; she and her mother entered the safe room. Around 10:30, gunmen broke in. Shiri told Noga to hide under the bed; attackers took her mother without seeing her. Smoke filled the room after the house was set alight. Noga climbed out a window and hid in bushes, but armed men found her, tied her hands and drove her to Gaza. She thought Shiri had been killed and did not know Ilan’s fate.
03
In captivity
Noga was taken to a family home in Gaza and met another captive, Moran Stella Yanai. She said food and water were scarce. She moved between homes and feared being killed or left after others were released. On day fourteen, a captor gave her a ring and said she would stay in Gaza and have his children. After days apart, he brought Shiri to meet her and ask for her mother’s approval. Noga did not recognize Shiri at first and thought she was alone. They remained together for the rest of captivity.
04
Return
Noga and Shiri were released alive November 25, 2023, after 50 days. In a later interview, Noga said seeing uniformed soldiers on release day was the first time since October 7 she felt safe. They returned together to their family, but came home without Ilan. In January 2024 the family learned he had been killed on October 7 and his body taken to Gaza. Coming home ended Noga’s captivity while leaving her family uncertain about her father.
05
After return
Noga later enlisted and became a welfare NCO, a role she had wanted before the war. She said helping soldiers gave her purpose and helped her too. Loud knocks, Arabic in the street and the smell of fire still brought memories of the safe room. In August 2025, while traveling with young survivors, Noga learned Ilan’s remains had been recovered from Gaza after 693 days. She described shock, sadness and relief that he had a grave. Her service and advocacy continued alongside trauma.