EXCLUSIVE: Former Israeli hostage, who was held by Hamas for 505 days, shares story of hope

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Omer Shem Tov spent 505 days held hostage by Hamas and is now sharing his story of survival and how he never gave up hope.

"For me, I feel like everything is a miracle, you know? And once you understand that everything is a miracle, then life is so beautiful," said Shem Tov. He is one of the surviving Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7 at the Nova Musical Festival in 2023.

"There were hundreds of people running for our lives, hearing gunshots from every direction. Seeing horrible things, dead bodies everywhere. People getting shot," Shem Tov said.

He was held captive in tunnels and alone for almost the entire time.

"It was 120 feet under the ground. And the cell, I remember, was so small, you know, that I just couldn't even stand up inside of it. I couldn't spread my arms out. I was in complete darkness," he said, adding that for the first 50 days he was starved and lived off bits of bread and water.

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"Like a dog is a compliment. I would say. They used to spit on me. They used to curse me all the time. But I think the thing that saved me was that I offered myself to work for them. So I was like their slave, you know. I used to clean for them and cook for them and dig in the tunnels for them. I did everything for them," said Shem Tov, who described his faith and his family as his hope.

"I was sure they were fighting for me. I was sure about it. And I just understood that I have to keep going, and I chose the path of life and making lemonade out of lemons, except going into depression and just sinking into darkness," he said.

Shem Tov is now taking his message to stages around the world.

"I'm trying to share my story, from my perspective, I'm trying to spread light and positivity and love, and I hope I achieve it."