Ada Sagi

Freed November 28, 2023

On the morning of October 7th, Ada Sagi, a 75-year-old grandmother of six, was preparing to travel to London to celebrate her 75th birthday with family. For Ada, the trip was meant to be a joyful occasion after a year of personal struggles, including the loss of her husband to cancer, dealing with allergies, and recovering from hip replacement surgery. Despite these challenges, Ada was determined to move forward and reclaim her life.

Born in Tel Aviv in 1948 to Holocaust survivors from Poland, Ada moved to a kibbutz at the age of 18, attracted by the ideals of equality and humanity upon which the communal settlements were founded. As a mother of three, Ada demonstrated a commitment to fostering relationships with her neighbors by learning Arabic. She later taught Arabic to other Israelis as a means of promoting better communication with Palestinians living near Kibbutz Nir Oz on the southeastern border of the Gaza Strip.

On October 7, Ada was abducted from her home of 54 years by Hamas gunmen, leaving behind a scene of devastation marked by bloodstains, bullet holes, and spent casings. Her son, Noam Sagi, a psychotherapist in London, tirelessly campaigned for her release and was finally able to embrace her after she was freed on the fifth day of a truce. Ada's physical condition exceeded expectations, but she had endured a traumatic and brutal experience during her 53 days in captivity.

During her captivity, Ada's captors deprived her of her belongings, including clothing, jewelry, and glasses, leaving her in a vulnerable state. However, Ada remained resilient and focused on reuniting with her family. Now reunited with her loved ones, Ada is eager to regain agency over her life and address the challenges ahead, including coming to terms with the loss of her community and friends due to the attack on her kibbutz.