Overcoming is about healing the wounds of captivity and finding the courage to live beyond the shadow of that experience.

By Isik Abla, JNS

After 471 days in captivity, Israeli hostages Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, who also holds British citizenship, have been released by Hamas, marking a poignant moment of relief and reunion. Their prolonged ordeal has left deep scars on their physical health and emotional well-being, underscoring the profound impact of extended captivity. As someone who has personally endured years of physical, emotional and mental torture resulting in complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and having grown up in a war zone, I deeply understand the layers of trauma they now face.

During the civil war years in Turkey in the late 1970s, I grew up amid constant gunfire, bombings and the fear of violence. My family’s home was next to a terrorist training building, and I vividly remember the terror of living under the shadow of gunshots and explosions. One unforgettable memory is being stuck in the middle of a battlefield with my mother, helpless and fearing for our lives. Next, we were walking in a lake of blood where dead bodies were lying. I was only 7 at the time. I remember staring at the eyes of a dying young man who was bleeding after his throat had been cut. Later in life, I faced another kind of war when I married a Muslim man who was physically, emotionally and mentally abusive. These experiences damaged and scarred me deeply. I was shaped into a survivor, but my healing journey also taught me the difference between survival and overcoming.

There is a significant difference between being a survivor and an overcomer. Survival is the ability to endure and make it through horrific circumstances. It is a state of resilience, strength and adaptability in the face of unimaginable hardship. For Emily, Romi and Doron, surviving their captivity was about enduring the day-to-day suffering, holding on to the hope of freedom and preserving their sense of self, despite the odds stacked against them.

Survival, however, is only the beginning. The transition to overcomer involves reclaiming life, joy and purpose after the trauma. Surviving is about making it through the nightmare. Overcoming is about not allowing the nightmare to define the rest of your life. It is about healing the wounds—physical, emotional and spiritual—that captivity inflicted and finding the courage to live beyond the shadow of that experience.

I’ve come to understand this distinction deeply. For years, I lived in survival mode, constantly replaying the horrors I endured and feeling trapped in fear and self-doubt. But there came a point when I had to make a choice: Would I let my trauma define me, or would I rise above it and reclaim my life? That meant facing the pain head-on, seeking help and choosing to see myself not as a victim but as someone capable of thriving beyond my circumstances. As it says in Psalms 147:3: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

During captivity, the hostages endured unimaginable physical hardships. Emily suffered the loss of two fingers on her left hand from gunshot wounds. Living on minimal food rations and in unsanitary conditions, they faced malnutrition and illness. Such challenges are tangible reminders of their survival, but the body can begin to heal with proper medical care and time.

The journey to overcoming, though, goes beyond physical recovery. It involves feeling strong in one’s body again, regaining confidence and embracing life with the fullness it offers. For these women, overcoming means not letting the scars on their bodies dictate the narrative of their lives, instead seeing them as testaments to their resilience.

The emotional scars left by captivity can be even harder to heal. Survivors often carry guilt, shame, fear and deep-seated trauma that make it difficult to move forward. For 471 days, these individuals lived in a state of hypervigilance, constantly questioning if they would survive another day. That level of psychological strain doesn’t disappear with freedom. It will require intentional work to address this lingering pain.

Becoming an overcomer is not about erasing the past but about integrating it into a new story. Emily, Romi and Doron are now at the beginning of this journey. They’ve survived a horrific experience, but they can work to overcome the impact of that trauma with the support of medical professionals, family, friends and their community.

Their story is a powerful reminder that while trauma may shape us, it does not have to define us. Overcoming is a choice, a daily commitment to rise above the darkness and embrace the light of a new beginning. For those of us who have faced trauma, the courage of these women serves as an inspiration. It reminds us that even in the aftermath of the most horrific storms, there is hope, healing and the possibility of a life filled with purpose and joy.