A rescued hostage held by Hamas for 245 days was shocked to search out the Israeli air hostess he had dated for simply two months ready for him again dwelling.
Jennifer Masters, 32, stood by 27-year-old Andrey Kozlov for eight months even serving to his Russian mom be taught Hebrew as they fought side-by-side for him.
However she warned he has returned a ‘modified man’ after being saved handcuffed for weeks on finish, pressured to eat and drink along with his arms sure behind his again.
Andrey has informed how the terrorists tried to transform him to Islam by making him learn the Quran on daily basis as they taunted him that he would by no means go away.
Guards cruelly pressured him to attract an image of his mom, Evgeniia Kozlova, whose face he couldn’t bear in mind so lengthy had he been held captive in Gaza.
However on Saturday Andrey was saved in a daring particular forces raid together with 26-year-old Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, 21, and Shlomi Ziv, 40.
Andrey Kozlov, free of Gaza in an Israeli navy operation a day earlier, reunites with girlfriend Jennifer Masters, 32
Andrey Kozlov (C), free of Gaza in an Israeli navy operation a day earlier, meets along with his mother and father Mikhail Kozlov, 52, Evgeniia Kozlova, 52, brother Dima Kozlov, 17 and girlfriend Jennifer Masters, 32
Kozlov is seen speaking with household and pals for the primary time after his launch
Girlfriend and household of Andrey Kozlov, who was free of Gaza in an Israeli navy operation
Andrey has informed how the terrorists tried to transform him to Islam by making him learn the Quran on daily basis
An image of Kozlov sporting Miss Masters’ lipstick and emblazoned with the phrase ‘Dwelling’ and a drawing of a coronary heart
The Russian sous-chef might barely imagine his eyes as he was reunited with Miss Masters at Sheba Medical Centre, close to Tel Aviv.
‘He was very shocked,’ laughs Miss Masters, a flight attendant for Israel’s El Al airline who visited Andrey along with his brother Dima, 17.
‘He was sitting on the mattress and I used to be the primary to satisfy him. He simply fell on the bottom, crying. I took his brother and we’re simply hugging, squeezing him.
‘He stated, ”I used to be apprehensive you had been already relationship another person.” He stated it twice – ”I assumed you had moved on”.’
Miss Masters matched with Andrey on Bumble final August and the beginner surfer and DJ instantly received her over along with his ‘good coronary heart’.
‘He’s a really mild, trustworthy particular person,’ she tells the Each day Mail in Tel Aviv.
‘He was at all times there for me, that is what made me love him.’
However their fledgling romance was shattered when Hamas terrorists stormed the Nova competition the place he was working as a safety guard.
Miss Masters was pressured to name his mother and father in St Petersburg, who had no concept who she was, and inform them she feared their son had been killed or kidnapped.
Andrey had solely moved to Israel a 12 months earlier than and had few pals, however his girlfriend stepped as much as lead his marketing campaign.
‘She is a hero,’ Dima stated. His father, Mikhail, added: ‘She is among the luckiest issues. She responded to our tragedy – we’re endlessly grateful.’
Miss Masters helped Mrs Kozlova, 52, a pc analyst, fly to Tel Aviv and transfer into Andrey’s room and collectively they fought to carry him again.
Kozlov is seen on this image equipped by his household
Jennifer Masters writes on a poster of Kozlov following his launch
Kozlov’s household are seen on this picture
Miss Masters matched with Andrey on Bumble final August and the beginner surfer and DJ instantly received her over along with his ‘good coronary heart’
Kozlov is a DJ and beginner surfer
‘I did not know what to say to her,’ Miss Masters stated on assembly the mom for the primary time. ‘I simply stated, Evgeniia, all the things you need – I am right here for you. Every thing.’
It was solely after three weeks that the IDF found Andrey had been kidnapped – however they didn’t know if he was alive or useless. The primary signal of life got here in January.
The 2 ladies travelled the world, elevating his case with governments throughout Israel, Europe, Russia and America, earlier than lastly, final Saturday, the miracle occurred.
‘I used to be simply screaming,’ Miss Masters stated on getting the cellphone name to say Andrey had been saved. ‘Now I can not sleep. I waited eight months to see Andrey and I simply need to stare at him.’
Mrs Kozlova, who was lobbying in Russia for his return on the time, acquired on the subsequent flight to Tel Aviv with Mr Kozlov, 52, an economist.
Emotional footage exhibits Andrey collapsing to the ground in tears, hugging and kissing his mom’s ft as she arrives on the hospital final Sunday.
‘I did not even know what to do,’ Mrs Kozlova informed the Each day Mail. ‘I simply needed to hug him and calm him down. I needed him to snigger with me.’
However after the preliminary reunion, Andrey has began to open up about his ordeal. ‘He spent two months in captivity along with his legs and arms tied,’ Mrs Kozlova stated.
‘When your arms are tied behind you, it is extremely troublesome to eat. I do not know the way he would eat or drink or go to the bathroom, we did not have time to ask completely all the things.
‘He stated it was such a reduction when his arms that had been tied behind his again had been lastly tied in entrance of his physique. It was such a contented second.
‘He talked about this cheerfully – however he additionally informed us that there have been some issues he would by no means inform us about.’
Household of Andrey Kozlov, who was free of Gaza in an Israeli navy operation, maintain his hostage poster after he was returned
Miss Masters is seen holding Kozlov’s image
An image of Andrey Kozlov is seen amongst different posters of hostages taken by Hamas on October 7
Miss Masters agreed. ‘He informed me very dangerous stuff,’ she stated. ‘The terrorists pressured him to attract his mom.
‘He stated, ‘I do not need to’, as he could not actually bear in mind each characteristic as a result of he did not see her for a very long time.
‘They stated, ”You need punishment? You need to be at the bathroom for an hour?” He stated, ”No, no. No punishment. Okay, I’ll do,” and he did it and he was crying.’
In addition they tried to transform him to Islam and taught him Arabic however ‘it did not work’ as he ‘doesn’t imagine in God’.
Every day he wrote ‘one other day’ in a diary to attempt to keep sane and would draw satisfaction cursing his tormentors in Russian – a language they could not perceive.
Andrey, who was held with Almog and Shlomi all through, was ultimately allowed to play playing cards along with his fellow hostages.
However whereas some captors joined in with the video games, others had been merciless. ‘They’d play methods on their minds and abuse them,’ Miss Masters stated.
‘It was terrible – and it modified him,’ Miss Masters stated. ‘He is rather more delicate. He cries quite a bit. I do not know this Andrey. Andrey by no means cried.
‘We dated solely two months, however he was a really calm man and really, like, he had his centre – and now he simply breaks from all the things.’
Whereas his restoration begins, the households are agreed that regardless of the success of the mission there should be a deal for the 120 who stay.
‘What occurred to us is large, large luck,’ stated Miss Masters. ‘My message to the federal government is we should make a hostage deal.’
