Explosives, fear, and survival: Inside the tunnel where Eitan and Iair Horn were held
Eitan and Iair Horn were kidnapped from Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, and were held together in Gaza until Iair was released in February of 2025. Eitan was released in October 2025.
Former Gaza hostages Eitan and Iair Horn were kept in a tunnel packed with explosives, their sister-in-law Dalia Cusnir told KAN Reshet Bet in an interview on Friday.
"Hamas constantly warned them that if the IDF got close, they’d all die, the hostages and the terrorists," she explained.
"They lived every second knowing that the tunnel could collapse or explode at any moment."
While in captivity, Eitan and Iair bonded with fellow hostages Nimrod Cohen and David Cunio, and the group often discussed what they'd do once they were free.
“They understood they had to stay strong and take care of one another,” Cusnir said. “When one of them fell, someone else lifted him up.”
Eitan and Iair were held together in captivity until Iair was released alongside Sagui Dekel in February 2025, when Hamas made the two 'choose' who would be freed.
"Eitan watched them go and later saw the footage of their release. That kind of psychological torment leaves deep wounds," Cusnir said.
The road to recovery
Both brothers have a long road to physical and psychological recovery after the extreme abuse they suffered.
"They’re both home and alive, and that’s everything for us. But the road ahead is long, emotionally, physically, and, at the most basic level, in terms of safety... Eitan, especially, is deeply moved by the love and support he’s receiving from the people of Israel. But he’s also worried, because while our family’s circle is closed, other families are still waiting."
Cusnir also spoke about the effects captivity had on the hostages' families, explaining how her husband, Amos, was supposed to be in Nir Oz with his brothers on October 7.
"Sometimes that thought sneaks in, that all three brothers could have been taken," she said.
"But I try to push it away. Amos has carried a lot of guilt, feeling that he wasn’t there to protect them, drinking his morning coffee while they were suffering underground. There’s a long road ahead for all of us."