SAVANNAH, Ga. – From the confines of Gaza to sharing her liberation with a global audience, Moran Stela Yanai, once held hostage, recounted her harrowing experience in Savannah on Monday.

Speaking at the Cultural Arts Center, the survivor of the October 7, 2023, incident detailed her seven-week ordeal from two years prior and her journey toward reclaiming her life.

At 40, Yanai, a self-taught jeweler, had hoped to make a significant career leap by participating as a vendor at the Nova Music Festival on October 7.

However, her plans took a dramatic turn as she was forcibly taken by ten Hamas militants, one of whom compelled her to observe the cheering crowds as she was driven through the streets of Gaza, a captive.

Throughout her captivity, Yanai attributes her survival to quick thinking, maintaining composure, and a steadfast belief in her eventual freedom.

“I know no matter what will happen, it will pass,” said Yanai. “Even when I thought I would die or they would execute me, I thought this will pass also.”

She recounted a story where she pretended to be Arabian while being chased and beaten by terrorists at the festival site, a move which saved her life.

Faith, she said, contributed the most to her survival.

“In one of my lectures, this woman asked me, because I was speaking about faith a lot- she said, ‘Really? Do you think that faith made you be released and not a deal?’” said Yanai, “I told her, you know what? I didn’t know about a deal. I knew how to pray every single day and grab this faith and to survive another day.”

Even though there were times she was genuinely fearful, she said she never showed her captors and was able to curtail her emotions.

Yanai told a story about how she felt she was having an anxiety attack and her captors measured her blood pressure with a machine.

The results showed she was not suffering from anxiety.

“I went through a tunnel in my head, like going through what really happened in those situations inside captivity while I was in my highest anxiety level, but from the outside, I cannot show fear,” said Yanai.

Even though day to day life is still difficult two years later, Yanai told she forgives her captors.

“Coming out, I have no revenge, and I cannot be angry. I cannot be angry at somebody who is not educated in the good in life.”

Yanai said she is regaining normalcy, with putting effort into self-care and beauty being a major help.

She said she will continue to share her story throughout the world.