We'll do anything to free him, says grandad of Israeli-Dutch teen abducted by Hamas

The family of Ofir Engel, an 18-year-old teen abducted by Hamas and urgently granted Dutch nationality this week, is doing everything they can to free him. “We have to keep hope,” his grandfather, 77-year-old Jucha Engel, said from Israel. Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte expressed condolences to the teen’s loved ones.

Jucha Engel told us by telephone that his grandson was with his girlfriend of about a year and her family in the kibbutz Be’eri when Hamas attacked Israel on Saturday morning, October 7. They looked for a safe place in the shelter, Engel said. “They sent a selfie around noon, but we didn’t hear anything after that.”

Later, Ofir’s family learned that Hamas had raided the shelter. “They shot the dog, and everyone had to go outside to the garden. Ofir, his girlfriend’s father, and a 16-year-old boy from the neighborhood were taken in a small car,” said Engel. The women were left behind and were in agony for hours. Only that night did Israeli soldiers help them and take them away from the kibbutz. “Their house is completely burned down. Everything is gone.”

Jucha Engel’s mother was Dutch. In the hope that international pressure would increase the chance that Hamas would let his grandson go if he also has Dutch nationality, he contacted the Dutch embassy in Israel. The Netherlands arranged a Dutch passport for the boy “very quickly” via an emergency procedure. “I have no words to express how it feels that the Netherlands is helping us so well.”

Ofir’s grandfather’s mother was a Jewish woman from Amersfoort. She helped many Jewish families in hiding near Wilp during the Second World War, he said. His father had forged their identity papers, so it was not clear that they were Jewish.

The family visits the Netherlands often. “We were also there with Ofir and other grandchildren. To show our history, which goes back hundreds of years.”

Ofir’s birthday was on Sunday, and he turned 18. The family - Jucha Engel has five children and 14 grandchildren - is together all the time in the kibbutz Ramat Rachel near Jerusalem, where Ofir lives with his parents. “We help each other and hold each other.”

Prime Minister Rutte expressed condolences to Ofir’s loved ones. He called the fact that one of the kidnapped in Gaza is someone with Dutch nationality “heavy and poignant.” He said he was working with Minister Hanke Bruins Slot (Foreign Affairs) and her “regional partners” to ensure the hostages were released.

Hamas captured many people during their attack on Israel and took them to Gaza. Hamas and other radical groups claimed earlier this week that they were holding 250 hostages. According to them, 22 hostages were killed by Israeli airstrikes.