Survivor's Account: Karina Ariev opens up on her harrowing experience of October 7 and Hamas captivity

During the initial attack at Migonit in Nahal Oz, Ariev found herself in a life-or-death situation. Despite nearly losing consciousness, she managed to defend herself against a grenade thrown by terrorists. As the violence escalated around her, she made the split-second decision to feign death while lying wounded on the floor, watching as terrorists carried out their deadly rampage.

Her ruse was ultimately discovered when one of the terrorists checked for signs of life by pulling her hands. As other terrorists were confirming the deaths of soldiers nearby, she was handcuffed and taken captive – a moment she describes as being separated from death by mere seconds.

The journey to Gaza proved brutally violent. Mistaking her for an officer, her captors subjected her to severe physical abuse. They beat her, attempted to strangle her, and forced her to lie on the scorching hot surface of their vehicle, causing burns across her body. In a particularly personal violation, they tore out her hair and stole a cherished hamsa necklace she had worn since childhood.

During her captivity, Ariev demonstrated remarkable adaptability, learning Arabic within a month to understand her captors' conversations. While she endured verbal abuse and humiliation throughout her detention, she notes that physical violence was not consistent. When faced with sexual harassment, she showed extraordinary courage by threatening to report the behavior to the harasser's commander, who had explicitly forbidden such actions – a strategy that proved effective in stopping the abuse.

Ariev recalls that she and fellow captive Daniela lived under constant threat, feeling and hearing IDF shelling that put their lives at risk. Despite her isolation, she maintained some connection to the outside world through limited access to television, once spotting her parents Albert and Ira at the Kidnapped Square, and hearing her older sister Sasha's voice on radio broadcasts.

She learned of her impending release just two days before it occurred, experiencing a mix of excitement and anxiety about potential complications in the process. In her discussion with the Chief of Staff, Ariev described October 7 as the most challenging day of her life, demonstrating remarkable clarity and detail in recounting her experiences.