Arbel Yehoud

Arbel Yehoud (or Yehud; ;

After her release, Yehoud became an advocate for the return of the remaining hostages, including her partner, Ariel Cunio. Cunio was later released as part of the Gaza Peace Plan. She had two older brothers, Dolev and Neta, and was a third-generation resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz, with her grandparents being among its founders. Yehoud was a professional dancer for many years. She originally worked in her kibbutz's education system before she began working as a guide at GrooveTech. Yehoud began dating Ariel Cunio five years before their abduction, and the pair had returned from a vacation to South America shortly before 7 October 2023.

Captivity

Abduction On 7 October 2023, Yehoud was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz alongside her fiancé, Ariel Cunio. Yehoud's brother, Dolev Yehoud, was also initially believed to have been taken hostage, until his remains were identified in June 2024.

In May 2025, ASharq Al-Aswat reported that a commander involved in abducting Yehoud was killed in an IDF operation in Khan Younis.

Conditions Yehoud was held in captivity by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. She was held alone and barefoot for the entirety of her captivity. Yehoud expected to be released during the 2023 Gaza war ceasefire but felt "abandoned" after she remained in captivity. Yehoud was among the hostages who were fast-tracked for German citizenship in order to help assist in their release. She officially received her German passport after her release from captivity.

During the 2024 Rafah hostage raid, Yehoud, who was located in an area close to the raid, was held at gunpoint by her captors. While in captivity, she learned that her brother, Dolev, had been killed on 7 October. In a February 2026 interview, Yehoud said she was sexually abused and had attempted suicide on three occasions throughout her captivity.

Release Under the terms of the January 2025 Gaza war ceasefire, Yehoud was expected to be released on either 19 or 25 January. However, after Yehoud was not among the four hostages (Naama Levy, Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa, and Karina Ariev) released on 25 January, Israel delayed opening the Netzarim Corridor, which would have enabled hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to northern Gaza. This event was considered by multiple sources to be the first significant 'crisis' or 'complication' of the ceasefire. After mediation from the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, a deal was reached for Yehoud, Agam Berger, and a third hostage to be released on 30 January, and Israel allowed Palestinians in Gaza to return north. In the video, which was determined by the New York Times to have been filmed on 25 January, Yehoud told her family, "I hope to return to you soon, like the girls who have been released." This video was the first footage of Yehoud since her abduction. Moses was the first Israeli that Yehoud had encountered since being separated from Cunio. She had been held in captivity for 482 days.

Post-release activities Yehoud attending a vigil in Washington, D.C. on the 2nd anniversary of 7 October. Upon her release, Yehoud was taken to Sheba Hospital in Ramat Gan. Less than a week after her release, she was discharged from the hospital and moved into Nir Oz's temporary community in Kiryat Gat.

Yehoud made multiple public appearances following her release. In May 2025, she addressed the Knesset, encouraging members of the government to end the war. On the second anniversary of the 7 October attacks, Yehoud gave a speech at the Kennedy Center, calling for world leaders to bring home the remaining hostages. For her advocacy, Yehoud was named as one of the 18 recipients of Chochmat Nashim's Women of Iron Award in 2025.

Yehoud has criticized the Israeli government since her release. Along with other former hostages, she signed a letter calling for Gal Hirsch, the coordinator for hostage release efforts, to resign after Hirsch asserted that protests in favor of a hostage deal had aided Hamas.

Ariel Cunio was released on 13 October 2025, as part of the Gaza peace plan. Cunio and Yehoud, along with Cunio's brother David Cunio, sister-in-law, Sharon Cunio, and nieces Emma and Yuli Cunio, were among the 26 former hostages who met with President Donald Trump at the White House in November 2025. Yehoud and Cunio raised ₪4,000,000 (about $1.3 million) through a crowdfunding campaign within 24 hours of their Channel 12 interview airing, while a previous fundraising campaign for Yehoud had raised ₪700,000 towards her rehabilitation.