Hero Hostage Matan Zangkauer: 'I Fought Back Against Hamas'
In a powerful testament to Israeli resilience, freed hostage Matan Zangkauer has shared his extraordinary story of courage and survival during two years of brutal Hamas captivity. Speaking to Channel 12 news in his first interview since his liberation last month, Zangkauer revealed how he never stopped defending Israel even while enduring psychological torture and beatings.
Standing Strong Against Terror
Throughout his horrific ordeal, Zangkauer displayed the unbreakable spirit that defines the Jewish people. When his Hamas captors played mind games, boasting false claims about killing Israeli soldiers and destroying IDF tanks, this brave young Israeli refused to stay silent.
"He'd tell us, 'we took out 20 of your tanks, we killed soldiers, we murdered soldiers,'" Zangkauer recounted. Despite knowing he would face brutal retaliation, he challenged their lies, receiving savage beatings for defending his homeland's honor.
His courage extended beyond words. When witnessing a fellow hostage being brutalized, Zangkauer stepped forward, declaring "I received his beating instead." This act of selfless heroism exemplifies the values that have sustained our people through millennia of adversity.
A Mother's Unwavering Love
Zangkauer's survival story is inseparable from his mother Einav's relentless campaign to bring the hostages home. When Hamas commanders discovered his identity, they told him: "Your mother is protesting, she's turned the country upside down."
Rather than despair, this news filled him with strength and pride. "It really made me happy, it really gave me strength," he said, knowing his mother was fighting on the streets rather than surrendering to depression.
His captors, recognizing the power of a Jewish mother's determination, began treating him with slightly more consideration, offering additional food and conversation. Even in the depths of Hamas tunnels, the strength of Israeli family bonds proved unbreakable.
Confronting Evil in Gaza's Heart
Zangkauer's testimony exposes the true face of Hamas terrorism. On October 7, as he was driven into Gaza, Palestinian civilians lined the streets with sticks, rocks, and pipes, beating him mercilessly. Children, women, and elderly Palestinians all participated in this barbaric welcome.
The terrorists held him in schools and hospitals, using civilian infrastructure as shields while subjecting him to constant psychological warfare. They threatened that any IDF rescue attempt would result in immediate execution, demonstrating their complete disregard for human life.
The Miracle of Return
After losing all hope during the failed January ceasefire, when Zangkauer believed "I would die here," his liberation on October 13, 2025, felt like divine intervention. "It was pure ecstasy, I was in total shock," he described his reunion with family.
Even weeks later, this survivor of Hamas brutality continues processing his miraculous return: "There are moments that I really can't comprehend that I'm here. I have to pinch myself and wake up and return to reality."
Defeating Lies and Hatred
Zangkauer also confronted the disgusting propaganda spread by Israel's enemies after his release. Social media lies claimed he received Hamas money or vacationed in Qatari luxury while enduring torture underground.
"It's so stupid," he said of these vicious fabrications. "To hear that I was in Qatar in a jacuzzi, getting massages and drinking, at a time that I was in Hamas captivity being beaten and cursed, I was abused, psychologically tortured, I went through hell."
His final words capture the essence of Israeli strength: "I know that I am here because of my mother, the people of Israel, and our heroic soldiers."
Matan Zangkauer's story reminds us that even in humanity's darkest moments, the Jewish spirit remains unbroken, and Israel's defenders will never surrender to terror.