A Mother's Enduring Hope: The Story of Ran Guwili's Captivity

For Talik Guwili, the days and nights over the past year have been a prolonged nightmare. By profession, she is a successful attorney with a well-known practice in the south, but since receiving news of her son Ran's abduction by Hamas militants, her life has drastically changed.

Ran Guwili, 25, from Meitar, has been held captive in Gaza for 366 days, along with 100 other hostages. These are also 366 days filled with longing, pain, and relentless thoughts for Talik, who yearns for her son. An alumnus of the Golani Brigade, Ran enlisted in the Border Police after his military service. "He wore his uniform with pride wherever he went," his mother recounts in an interview. "On the morning of October 7th, when news broke of militants breaching, an emergency protocol was activated at his station. Ran donned his uniform and vest and rushed there."

Talik Guwili. 'I Believe My Son is Alive'

Accompanied by seven other Border Police officers, Ran equipped himself with a weapon and combat gear, heading to the Nova party in a police SUV. "Ran engaged in intense combat with the militants, sustaining a gunshot wound during the confrontation. At a certain point, he exited the vehicle and applied a tourniquet to himself, not before sending messages to his friends warning of militants approaching from all directions."

When did you realize he had been kidnapped to Gaza?

"We knew on that same day he was abducted, but not where he was taken. Two weeks later, we were notified that evidence indicated he was kidnapped to Gaza. We saw a picture of him on a motorcycle, surrounded by militants."

"May No Mother Experience What I Have"

Two months after Ran's abduction, his mother received a notification of his death in captivity, allegedly based on a medical diagnosis. "The security system concluded he was dead, only hypothesizing he didn't receive medical treatment and couldn't survive without it. Yet, he might have been treated. I choose to believe Ran survived. I believe he is alive."

The moment she received the news was when Talik decided to launch a cross-continental personal campaign. "In this fight, I give media interviews, join governmental delegations abroad, and speak with anyone willing to listen. From Knesset members, ministers, and security officials, to leaders and influencers overseas. I'm doing everything possible to keep the issue in public consciousness, explaining to the world we're in an existential war for our lives and our country."

So essentially, there are two battles: a public battle for Israel and a personal battle for the return of Ran from captivity.

"To me, it's one fight. Only by attacking Hamas to the end, without the U.S. or other nations intervening or vetoing us, can we create a strong deterrence that will force Hamas to seek a deal. As long as the attacks aren't decisive and massive - no deal will happen. My goal in the fight is to explain this and to support the government in continuing the offensive until Hamas is completely eradicated."

Are you for "a deal now"?

"Absolutely against it. We need to understand one thing: Hamas is not yet deterred. They didn't abduct soldiers and civilians just because they felt like it. They have a clear goal, which is to destroy the Zionist enterprise we've built over the years. Therefore, the only way to bring the hostages home is first and foremost to eliminate Hamas.

"For the same reason, I'm against withdrawing from Philadelphi or Netzarim, because it's a capitulation to Hamas, leading to more kidnappings in the coming years. I don't want another mother to go through what I've been through," she says with pain.

Guawili reveals that during all the prolonged months of the IDF fighting against Hamas and Hezbollah, from the south and north, she found herself in a dilemma. "I didn't quite agree with the government's conduct," she shares. "Only this past month, I've started to feel proud of our government because at last, the IDF is operating as it should. We've eliminated our enemies and their leaders, Mohammed Deif and Hassan Nasrallah, showing the world the strength of the people of Israel and our army. We are surrounded by monsters who want to kill us, and we must not let them feel even a moment of pride."

Don't you think that even negotiating with them already gives them pride?

"It's impossible not to negotiate with them," she explains. "But as long as we continue to hit them also while negotiating, their pride will be hurt. Only if we strike them as hard as possible, can we reach a deal that will bring our children home."

Ran with his station friends

Ran Guwili in Golani Brigade

"I am Proud of My Son"

Finally, Guwili wishes to share about the spiritual awakening she has experienced over the past year: "I have always been a believer. I may describe myself as secular, but throughout this past year, it became clear to me that I was beginning to pray and light Shabbat candles. These actions, which I wasn't accustomed to in my daily routine, have now become a part of it."

Guwili adds that she's not the only one in her family who has taken on spiritual practices for Ran's return from captivity: "My husband started going to synagogue with our child and putting on *tefillin* every morning. We are in a situation where only Hashem can help us end it peacefully. We have no one to rely on, except our Father in heaven."

In conclusion, what would you like to tell Ran?

"That I'm the proudest mother in the world. I am a proud mother of Ran. He is a hero of Israel, and I'm sure he would do it again and again if asked. When Ran went out to fight, he knew where he was going. I raised my children to love Israel and our homeland, and I am proud to be a Jew and that my son set out to protect Jews. All we have left is to pray and hope we see him back home as soon as possible."