Mika Engel

Freed November 27, 2023

At 18 years old, Mika was one of the members of the Engel family caught in a Hamas terrorist attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. This attack led to the kidnapping of Mika, her younger sister Yuval, and their mother Karina, while their father, Ronen Engel, was tragically killed, his body remaining in Gaza.

Mika, Yuval and Karina hid in their home's shelter as the attack unfolded. The abrupt end to a phone call between Karina and her sister Paula, with the chilling words, “Paula, they’re here, they’re here,” followed by a haunting video posted on Ronen's Facebook by a Hamas terrorist, encapsulates the terror of that day.

Mika's experience during the 52 days of captivity was marked by extreme trauma and adversity. Despite the unimaginable conditions, she displayed remarkable resilience, particularly in her role as a protector and source of strength for her younger sister Yuval. The image of Mika, emerging from captivity holding one of the 3-year-old twins also released, encapsulates the poignant and emotional depth of her ordeal.