October 7 · Personal story
Yuval Brodutch
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Kibbutz Kfar Aza
Current outcome
Released alive · November 26, 2023
Returned with his mother and siblings after 51 days in captivity.
01
Before October 7
Yuval Brodutch was eight and lived in Kfar Aza with his parents Avichai and Hagar, sister Ofri, and younger brother Oria. Curious and clever, he enjoyed exploring the world around him. He played football, supported Hapoel Be’er Sheva, and liked Lego and Xbox. His family described his sensitivity toward his siblings: when one of them was hurt, he would cry out of concern for them.
02
Abduction
On October 7, 2023, Yuval was abducted from the family home in Kfar Aza with Hagar, Ofri, and Oria. His father Avichai had gone out to defend the kibbutz. When he returned wounded, his family was gone. At first he believed they had been killed. About 24 hours later, he learned they had been taken to Gaza. He began campaigning for their return, sitting outside the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv with a sign saying his family was in Gaza.
03
Captivity
Yuval was held in Gaza with Hagar, Ofri, and Oria for 51 days. Hagar later described hunger, cold, and the fear that they might never be released. She did not know whether Avichai was alive. She said the children generally slept despite the bombing, while she lay awake worrying about their future. Avichai said Hagar spent hours distracting them with memories of family trips to Australia, Thailand, and other countries. They also talked about food during periods when they received little more than a pita.
04
Return
Yuval returned with Hagar, Ofri, and Oria on November 26, 2023, after 51 days in captivity. They met Avichai at Schneider Children’s Medical Center. Before the reunion, he had driven to their damaged kibbutz home to retrieve soft toys, pillows, and Hagar’s handbag, bringing familiar things for his family. He remembered that they were thin and had lice, but were alive and speaking. The next day, photographs showed father, mother, and children together again.
05
After the return
In an interview published on August 12, 2025, the parents said Yuval and Ofri were back at school and Oria was attending kindergarten. The family was living in Shefayim, which had hosted evacuees from Kfar Aza. Avichai described the children as happy, recalling their smiles on the first day after release. He also said that accelerating engines and ambulances could bring back memories of the bombing in Gaza. The family planned to celebrate the anniversary of their return each year with special food and time together.