October 7 · Personal story
Roni Krivoi
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Nova festival near Re’im, southern Israel
Current outcome
Released alive · November 26, 2023
Released from captivity after being held in Gaza.
01
Before October 7
Roni lived in Karmiel and was the younger brother of Igor and Julia. His family had moved from St. Petersburg to Israel in the 1990s, Julia told N12. His parents Oleg and Marina had chosen to leave amid growing antisemitism, Julia said. She described him as someone who loved life, music, and festivals in Israel and abroad. He was building expertise in sound and worked with the Nova festival’s sound crew. A friend said Roni had started dismantling equipment early that morning, after choosing to arrive before the time he had originally planned.
02
October 7
Roni had expected to reach Nova near Re’im around noon to dismantle sound equipment, but came earlier to celebrate with friends. His sister Julia pieced together his movements from survivors and videos: he was still at the stage around 7:41 a.m., then ran with friends and hid in bushes near the parking area. At about 11 a.m., friends reached him on WhatsApp. They heard Arabic laughter and people imitating his name before the call ended. A week later, the army formally told his family that he was on the hostage list.
03
In captivity
At first, Roni was held in an apartment in Gaza. When the building was bombed, he escaped and spent four days hiding and trying to reach the Israeli border. People in Gaza found him and returned him to Hamas; he said they beat him severely. In his April 2025 interview, he described a dark tunnel space about one and a half metres by one and a half metres, too small to stand up in. It had no proper floor or toilet. He said the captives survived on a small dish of food and crumbs.
04
Return
Roni was released alive on November 26, 2023. He had both Israeli and Russian citizenship. In his later interview, he recalled a Hamas guard asking who was Russian. Roni raised his hand and was told he would go home the next day. His release followed Russian intervention.
05
After captivity
After his return, Roni told his aunt Yelena that he was having nightmares. She also described him laughing and remembered him as someone who could find a way through difficult situations. On April 25, 2025, he gave his first detailed interview to Israel’s Friday television news program, speaking about his escape, recapture and time in the tunnel. He also recounted conversations with fellow hostage Matan Angrest, whom he had met there.