Among 199 hostages held by Hamas: daughter of Israel’s women soccer team doctor

The IDF spokesman updated the number of confirmed Israeli hostages in the hands of Hamas and its affiliated terror organizations in the Gaza Strip, to at least 199 on Tuesday.

Here at ALL ISRAEL NEWS, we want to bring you the personal stories of some of the hostages and their families, who are living through a nightmare at the moment.

Please continue praying for them!

Naama Levi is one of the hostages being held captive in Gaza. She is 19 years old and was just at the beginning of her service for the Israel Defense Forces.

On the weekend of Oct. 7, she was nearing the end of her training to become part of one of the majority-female units controlling the Gaza border that uses high-tech equipment cameras, called “tatzpitaniyot” in Hebrew.

Naama was stationed at Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the settlements along the Gaza border that was overrun during the brutal surprise attack by Hamas that Saturday morning.

Her mother Eilat is the team doctor for Israel’s national women's soccer team.

Eilat told her story for the first time to Israeli sports website ONE.

“I talked to my daughter after hearing that there were alarms, she told me that she was in a protected area and then the connection was lost,” Eilat said.

“After a while, we saw a video of her handcuffed, getting into a car on the way to Gaza. That’s when we realized that she was kidnapped. I did not watch the video out of choice.”

An IDF representative visited the family the day after and confirmed that their daughter Naama had indeed been captured and taken into the Gaza Strip by Hamas terrorists.

Eilat said that the families of hostages are being prepared to deal with this type of psychological warfare.

“I can't say that I hope to see such a video [of Naama], I am very focused on her return,” Eilat said, when asked about the recent video recording that published by Hamas showing another Israeli female hostage in Gaza.

She also spoke about the support she and her family have received from Israel's soccer association and the women’s soccer league.

“Soccer players came to cheer and brought things we needed, food that is enough for two soccer teams.”

One of the ways Eilat is dealing with the difficult situation is to tell her daughter’s story so that it will not be forgotten. Eilat added she is also focusing on her family and other children at the moment.

“I want to say thank you to all the people who send strength and hugs, we really appreciate it.”

Eilat added an appeal to return her daughter.

“I just ask to return my daughter and all the abductees as soon as possible. We need to bring them all back quickly and now. This is my message.”