Itay is the third child of the four Svirsky siblings. He lived in Tel Aviv, studied psychology and economics for his B.A, and worked as a therapist practicing "Satya," a method for personal development that helps people explore, reflect, and understand themselves.
"Itay found a place that suits him," says Merav, his sister. "He had many doubts, but he learned to know himself and to develop. He is loving, has one of the greatest capacities for listening and inclusion I've seen. He genuinely wants to help people."
His aunt Osnat says about Itay: "He is compassionate, sensitive, gentle, vulnerable, and curious."
On that terrible Simchat Torah weekend, Itay arrived at Kibbutz Be'eri to meet with his parents, ominously aware that the meeting would turn into a farewell. Itay was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from his parents’ home on Kibbutz Be’eri. While Itay was held hostage, his parents, Orit Sela-Svirsky and Rafi Svirsky, who were murdered in their home on the kibbutz, were buried. His grandmother, Aviva Sela, aged 97, miraculously survived the attack on the kibbutz, but her caregiver Gracie was murdered.
During his captivity in Gaza, Itay sent a sign of life to his sister, Merav, via hostages who were freed and came back home. On January 14th 2024 Hamas posted a video showing Itay and two other captives: Noa Argamani and Yossi Sharabi, reading messages from Hamas to the camera.
The family's hope was shattered upon receiving the devastating news that Itay had been murdered in captivity 102 days following his kidnapping. Itay left behind a sister, Merav, and two brothers, Jonathan and Yuval.
Every Friday, Itay's friends, with whom he studied in a Satya coaching course, gather in the ‘Hostages Square’ in Tel Aviv, to honor his memory.