Eli Sharabi

Eli Sharabi was born in 1972 in Tel Aviv

Eli Sharabi was born in Tel Aviv in 1972 to a family of Yemenite Jewish descent. As a teenager he moved to Kibbutz Be'eri as a youth resident and was educated there. He later held management roles on the kibbutz, including treasurer and economic coordinator.

In 1995 he met Lian Brisley, a British volunteer at the kibbutz. They married in Bristol in 2000 and had two daughters, Noya and Yahel.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants entered the family home in Be'eri and took him hostage. His wife and daughters were murdered in their home, and his brother Yossi was also kidnapped and later killed in captivity. Sharabi was held in Gaza, first in a safe house and then in tunnels, under harsh conditions with chained legs.

He was released on February 8, 2025, in a hostage deal, and learned of his family's murder only after returning to Israel. He returned weighing 44 kg. After his release he campaigned for the remaining hostages, met President Donald Trump, and addressed the UN Security Council.

In June 2025 he published his memoir Hostage in Hebrew, and an English edition followed in October 2025. Time magazine named it one of the 100 must-read books of 2025.