The first testimonies shed light on the conditions experienced by Israeli hostages held by Hamas

CNN
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For more than six weeks, conditions that Capture of Israeli hostages Those detained by Hamas in Gaza are virtually unknown to the outside world.

But testimony from some The hostages were released These images taken by the armed group in recent days have now begun to emerge, giving a glimpse into their lives in captivity following Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel on October 7.

Those who spoke of their experiences described living on limited supplies, while bombs fell on their heads. Some of them knew throughout their time as hostages that members of their family or friends had died on the day of the Hamas attack, while others were left without any evidence of their safety.

Adva Adar, whose 85-year-old grandmother, Yaffa, was among those released in the first hostage exchange with Palestinian detainees, said her family was “asked to let (Yaffa) share what she feels comfortable sharing, and not ask for a lot of money.” Questions so that she doesn’t feel obligated (to answer) or that it won’t be too much for her.

Adva said her grandmother lost weight during the ordeal, and other hostages revealed that there was little food available to the detainees.

Rice and bread

Freed hostages Keren Monder, her mother and 9-year-old son suffered for days eating nothing but pita bread during their captivity, Merav Mor Raviv, her cousin, told reporters on Sunday.

Mor-Raviv said that Monder and her mother lost between six and eight kilograms of weight due to a lack of regular nutrition, adding: “They were eating, but not regularly.”

She added that their diet in captivity includes a lot of rice and bread.

Following the Israeli military raids and ground attack on Gaza, the Strip witnessed extreme tension Humanitarian crisis. Most people in the region focus on the basics: finding shelter, fleeing fighting, and obtaining food and water.

During the first three days of the truce, Hamas Released A total of 58 hostages, most of them women and children, were taken, and Israel freed 117 Palestinian prisoners.

For some of them, conditions were manageable. Rongaron Wichanguin, the sister of released Thai hostage Phitun Phum, said on Saturday that her brother appeared to be in good health after Hamas released him in a separate deal.

“His face was very happy, he looked fine. He said he had not been tortured or abused, and was fed well.” “He was taken care of very well. She added: “It seems that he only stayed in a house, and not in the tunnel.”

However, a number of hostages were taken to hospital with serious injuries or medical conditions.

Alma Avraham, 84, who was among the Israeli hostages released from Gaza on Sunday, was admitted to the intensive care unit, Israel’s Soroka Medical Center said.

“She is in critical condition, and is being treated in the emergency department after major medical negligence over the past few weeks while she was detained by Hamas. “She is currently in unstable condition with a risk to her life,” Dr. Shlomi Kodesh, CEO of Soroka Medical Center, said in a video statement Sunday.

Another hostage, Adina Moshe (72 years old), suffered “horrific” conditions while being detained, according to her nephew.

Eyal Nouri told CNN’s Brenna Golodryga on Monday that Moshe is “regaining her strength” but is “a little weak” after spending more than seven weeks in five floors underground.

“They were fed only with rice and some grains of it [a] Maybe, which is what they tried to avoid [eating] So that I don’t have stomach pain.” “Not to mention they didn’t have any decent facilities like that [a] Shower. They did not bathe for seven weeks.

On Monday, Yelena Majid, the aunt of Russian-Israeli hostage Roni Kriboi, spoke to the Israeli radio station Kan Reshet B about her nephew’s ordeal in Gaza. Kriboy is the first adult Israeli man captured on October 7 and released by Hamas; His official release was not part of the hostages-for-detainees deal between Israel and Hamas.

Majed said in a phone call that Kriboy (25 years old) told her how he was detained in a building that collapsed during a bombing, and he managed to escape, according to what he told his aunt. But after hiding for a few days, he was arrested and returned to Hamas captivity.

“He tried to get to the border. I think because he didn’t have the means to understand where he was and where to escape, he probably got into a little bit of confusion there in the area. He was alone for four days,” Majed told the radio station.

His aunt added that Kriboy suffered a head injury during the building collapse, but he is now in good condition.

Meanwhile, some hostages were aware during their captivity that their loved ones had been killed on October 7.

Omri Al-Mog, the brother of the Israeli hostage who was released on Sunday along with two of her children, described on Monday how his sister learned that her husband and daughter had been slaughtered.

“I am very happy to inform everyone that my sister, Chin Goldstein-Almog, and the three children, Agam, Gal, and Tal, have returned to us and are feeling healthy,” Almog said in a short video clip posted by the hostages organization. And the Forum for Families of Missing Persons.

“They knew all along that Nadav and Yam were killed in the house,” he said. “They went to Gaza as hostages, and were kidnapped, with this idea.” Chen Goldstein-Almog’s daughter, Yam, was 20 years old when she was killed, while her husband, Nadav, was 48 years old.

Hamas released another hostage, Hila Rotem Shoshani (13 years old), on Saturday, but her mother Raya remains in detention.

Yair Rotem, Raya’s brother, said they were supposed to be released at the same time, telling CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Monday that there was “no reason to separate them.”

The IDF said their dismissal violated the terms of the deal.

IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told CNN this weekend that when the IDF asked about Hila’s mother, Hamas said they did not know where she was — a claim Yair denies.

“I urge all parties concerned to put pressure on Hamas to respect the agreement,” Yair told Blitzer.

“We need to respect that, and they need to respect that. Stop playing those games,” he added.

More than 40 of the hostages taken from Israel to Gaza on October 7 are not currently being held by Hamas, the group that launched the attack, a diplomatic source familiar with the negotiations told CNN on Monday.

This would complicate the prospect of extending the truce, because the agreement calls for Hamas to hand over hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees held by Israel – so Hamas would have to hand over the hostages.

CNN previously reported that an estimated 40 to 50 hostages had been taken. Palestinian Islamic Jihad Or other groups or individuals. This was before the hostage handover began on Friday.