Israeli Hostage Mother’s Fight for Son’s Life, Reported by Reuters

By Michal Yaakov Itzhaki and Maayan Lubell

TEL AVIV – As the sun sets over a terrace in Tel Aviv, a moment of normalcy unfolds. A young girl settles down with her colors and paper next to her mother’s coffee cup, but the mother is distracted, overwhelmed by the urgency of saving her son, who is being held hostage in Gaza.

The girl’s brother, Matan Zangauker, 24, was taken along with his girlfriend from their kibbutz during Hamas’ attack on October 7.

Matan’s mother, Einav, last heard from her son at 10:08 on that fateful day. His WhatsApp messages conveyed fear: “They’re breaking into the homes,” “I love you,” “don’t cry,” and the chilling final message— “they’re getting in.”

For ten agonizing days, as authorities scrambled to manage the chaotic aftermath of an attack that claimed 1,200 lives, the family was left in uncertainty about Matan’s fate. Then, they received the heartbreaking confirmation that he was among approximately 250 people abducted to Gaza.

Since then, time has become irrelevant for Einav.

“For me, the kidnapping happened yesterday morning,” she reflects. Struggling to eat or rest, she stays focused on the overwhelming knowledge that her son is in danger. “Matan is alive, but I’m not sure if my fight will bring him back alive.”

After a brief hug with her daughter, Einav is back on her phone, organizing meetings and protests, part of her unyielding campaign to rescue Matan and over 100 others still held in Gaza.

So far, 117 hostages have returned alive, including four released early in the conflict, and 105 primarily women and children who came home during a brief ceasefire last November. Eight others were rescued by the military. Tragically, 37 have been confirmed dead, leaving 101 hostages believed to still be in Gaza, with authorities estimating that at least half of them are still alive.

Matan’s girlfriend was among those freed in the previous truce, but since then, ten months of negotiations have not yielded additional releases or a return to a temporary ceasefire.

The fundamental differences between the two sides remain unresolved. Hamas seeks a cessation of hostilities in exchange for negotiations, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that the conflict will only end with Hamas’ defeat.

Many families of hostages feel that this rigid stance has hindered efforts to bring their loved ones home. Einav has become a prominent figure in a protest movement calling for negotiations for hostages’ release.

A single mother from a modest town in southern Israel, Einav has dedicated her life to advocating for her son, even chaining herself to fences, obstructing traffic, and staging dramatic protests outside government buildings.

“Matan knows that his mum is relentless and will fight for him until he’s home,” she asserts.

Once a supporter of Netanyahu, she now feels betrayed.

“I admired him. I trusted him. I believed this situation would be resolved quickly. I never expected it would drag on for so long.”

At weekly demonstrations, she has transformed into one of Netanyahu’s most vocal critics, suggesting he prioritizes political survival over the lives of hostages.

Netanyahu has denied that politics factor into his approach, attributing the deadlock solely to Hamas.

Yet Einav remains resolute. “I won’t give up because Matan never would,” she emphasizes. “He has a determination that I have never seen. He stepped up to take care of his sisters when we lost their father. He’s my man.”

The hardest moments for her are at the beginning and end of each day.

“I lay down at night trying to sleep, but my mind is consumed with tomorrow’s struggle,” she shares. “In the morning, it feels surreal to wake up to this ongoing nightmare.”