Carmel Gat’s Story

Carmel Gat has been held hostage by Hamas for over 7 weeks. Before the terrible events of Oct. 7th, Carmel, an occupational therapist, was a frequent traveler who searched for freedom in the open nature.

She loved to go to India, to practice yoga, to meditate and to hike mountains. According to released hostages testimony, Carmel, despite the terrifying circumstances, was able to use her knowledge of meditation techniques to assist and give strength to the children and fellow hostages during their time in captivity.

Carmel was scheduled to be released as part of the hostage negotiation deal. However, on the 8th day of the ceasefire, November 30th, the negotiations broke down between Israel and Hamas. Hamas presented to Israel a list of 7 names (3 of those being deceased) of hostages to be released. According to the deal, 10 names should have been provided. Carmel Gat was one of the names on that list.

Image Courtesy of Gat Family: Carmel, Alon, Geffen, Yarden and Kinneret

On October 7th, Carmel was visiting her mother Kenneret and her father Eshel in Kibbutz Be’eri, along with her brother Alon, his wife Yarden and their daughter Geffen. When the sirens sounded in the early morning, The family went to their safe room. The last message Carmel sent was to her younger brother in Tel Aviv, Or, to notify him that the terrorists had entered the house.

Image Courtesy of Gat Family: Carmel and her father Eshel.

Image: Courtesy of the Gat Family. Left to Right: Carmel, her mother, Kinneret and her Father, Eshel

Her father, Eshel, 69, was hiding in the bathroom and saw from the window as Carmel was being kidnapped. According to his testimony, he heard her talking with the kidnappers in Arabic about a car. Carmel has been studying Arabic with her mother.

Carmel’s mother’s body was identified by a family member from a Hamas telegram channel that showed several Kibbutz members lying on the ground, murdered.

The house was ransacked and set on fire. Images Courtesy of Gat Family.

Image: Courtesy of the Gat Family. Left to right: Carmel and her sister-in-law Yarden

Carmel’s sister-in-law, Yarden, was released on November 29th as part of the hostage negotiations.

In a public act of solidarity friends, families and concerned citizens have been gathering in the “Kidnapped Square” routinely since her kidnapping to practice yoga together in honor of Carmel.

Here is a playlist of Carmel’s favorite music.