Less than two weeks after their release from Hamas captivity, former hostages Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Agam Berger, Daniella Gilboa and Karina Ariev have asked to return to the army, according to Israel’s Channel 12.
The young women, all former surveillance soldiers, surprised even their families when they announced their joint decision to resume service in the IDF, though not in their former lookout positions. However, the IDF reportedly told the families of the five women that they “still need to rest and heal from their long period in captivity.”
They would not be the first to seek a return to service. Ori Megidish, a former hostage who served with the five at the Nahal Oz army base before October 7, was rescued from captivity by the IDF and Shin Bet on 30 October and returned to active service four months later in the army’s Intelligence Division.
People deal with this kind of stuff differently and it’s hardly surprising that many soldiers don’t completely change their opinion of their enemy after being held hostage for two years.