At the 2025 TIME100 Gala in New York City, Noa Argamani delivered a moving
appearance and speech, just months after being freed from 245 days in
captivity by Hamas.
Argamani was taken hostage during the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack at the
Nova Music Festival—an event that marked the beginning of the Israel-Hamas
war. On the red carpet, she reflected on her experience, revealing how painful
it was to visit the traveling Nova Exhibition: “It was too much to handle. Too
much to carry,” she admitted, though she insisted it was important to witness.
Separated from her partner, Avinatan Or, during the attack, Argamani said she
constantly asked about his whereabouts during her captivity but never received
answers. “I didn’t know if he was alive… I didn’t want to know the answer
because it was too much for me,” she said.
Despite her release, Argamani made it clear that she won’t find peace until
the remaining 59 hostages—including her partner—are also freed. “Until
Avinatan comes back, I will not heal. I will fight with everything I have to
bring them home.”
During the gala, she was one of a few honorees invited to speak. In her
heartfelt remarks, she urged the high-profile audience to use their platforms
to keep the spotlight on those still in captivity: “Help make sure that the
world will not look away.”
Doug Emhoff, former Second Gentleman of the U.S., honored her in TIME’s
tribute, calling her “a symbol of Jewish resilience.” At the afterparty, ADL
CEO Jonathan Greenblatt described her as “one of the most inspiring people
I’ve ever met.”
