A DAD said he “broke down” after finding out his wife and two young daughters had been kidnapped by Hamas terrorists through a video.
Yoni Asher watched in horror as harrowing footage showed his beloved family being abducted from Israel on a truck by gun-wielding brutes.
The dad-of-two, who lives 20km from Tel Aviv, said his wife Doron and daughters Raz, four, and Aviv, two, were visiting his mother-in-law in the kibbutz Nir Oz when terrorists stormed over the border.
Yoni told how his wife called him in a panic to say they could hear rockets and more disturbingly gunshots get closer by the minute.
She told her worried husband they were locked in a safe room – but moments later Hamas gunmen broke in and took Doron’s 79-year-old stepdad.
But Yoni’s worst fears then set in as he frantically tried to call his wife again but failed repeatedly to get through.
He spent the next few hours making “hundreds” of phone calls and appealing to the media for help.
Yoni then came across chilling footage showing his wife and children on the back of a truck with other hostages destined for Gaza.
He told The Sun: “It was something that I never thought I would witness in my life.
“I just broke down.”
Yoni said more than a month on from the horror October 7 massacre that saw over 1,200 slaughtered and dozens captured, the video remains the only evidence he has that they’re still alive.
He added: “This is the only hope I can hold onto.”
Yoni is now working around the clock to get them back and find out what he can.
He said: “We are just a regular family and my two young baby girls, they are only interested in playing, in running and dancing, and wearing dresses and going to their friends.
“In what world those young, beautiful, sweet girls are related in any way to be prisoners of war? Who takes little babies to be a prisoner of war?
“How much time can you hold them in captivity. Until when will they survive?
“I want to tell them that I love them. I miss them. I’m sorry. And please hold on.
“I am doing everything that I can to get you back home and please stay strong, and I do everything I can to get you home safe and soon, I swear.”
Israeli troops have moved into Gaza in a bid to rescue hostages – who are feared to be being held in Hamas’ mysterious 331-mile underground tunnel network.
Fresh hope was cast this week for the hostages, however, as the IDF claimed to have uncovered laptops containing pictures and videos of hostages at Gaza’s largest hospital.
But in a heartbreaking update today, the IDF confirmed the bodies of two hostages had been found – including that of 19-year-old soldier Corporal Noa Marciano, 19.
After Hamas terrorists unleashed their vile attack, Israel vowed to crush the group and has bombarded Gaza with strikes and sent ground troops in.
It has left Palestinian civilians fleeing for their lives as Israel attempts to destroy Hamas.
Families living in Gaza have been caught in the brutal crossfire, with regular accusations that the terrorists are attempting to use them as “human shields”.
Much of the northern part of the strip has been turned into a devastated warzone – with ruined buildings, dwindling supplies and horrific suffering for Gaza’s people.
The Red Cross estimates that some 1.5 million civilians have been forced to flee south amid the Israeli onslaught from land, air and sea.
Figures for the death toll remain unverified – but Hamas’ health officials claim more than 11,000 civilians, including more than 4,500 children have been killed.
Israel disputes these figures – and US President Joe Biden said he had “no confidence” in them.
But Benjamin Netanyahu admitted Israel has “not been successful” in reducing civilian casualties.
He said the deaths, however, must be blamed on Hamas – not Israel.
And as the horror continues there have been growing calls for a humanitarian ceasefire to stop the bloodshed.
