October 7 · Personal story
Raaya Rotem
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Her home in Kibbutz Be’eri
Current outcome
Released alive · November 29, 2023
Released from captivity and reunited with her daughter, Hila, after Hila’s release on November 25.
01
Before October 7
Raaya Rotem was 54 and lived in Kibbutz Be’eri with her 13-year-old daughter Hila Rotem-Shoshani. Her brother was Yair Rotem, and Reuven was her cousin. On October 6, Hila’s friend Emily Hand stayed overnight at their home. The girls were together when the next morning’s alarms began.
02
October 7
When alarms began, Raaya and Hila went to the safe room with Emily. At 7:58 a.m. Raaya told Yair that Emily had stayed overnight. In later messages she reported that Hila was scared and that it was becoming difficult to calm the girls. Around noon, attackers entered the house and forced open the safe-room door. Raaya said one grabbed her shirt and ordered her to go to Gaza. At 12:05 p.m. she managed to message Yair: “They are kidnapping us.” The three were taken to a neighbor’s safe room before being forced into a vehicle and driven to Gaza.
03
Captivity
After returning, Raaya described being held with other hostages and moved from house to house. She remembered dividing a small orange among several people, with only a piece or two for each. Her daughter Hila later said the group had little food or water and could speak only in whispers. Hila was released on November 25 without Raaya; she reported that captors had separated them two days before her release. Raaya remained in Gaza for another four days after Hila returned.
04
Return
Raaya was released on November 29, 2023. Hila had returned four days earlier, on November 25; mother and daughter were reunited after Raaya’s release.
05
After return
On January 1, 2024, Raaya visited Be’eri for the first time since October 7 and spoke to journalists beside her burned home. She said that eating an orange after her return had brought back the memory of sharing one in captivity. She warned that food and water were running out for hostages still held in Gaza and urged their return. She said she and Hila continued to think about the people who had been held with them.