The Israeli hostages who were taken by Hamas from Israel and held in Gaza have shared their harrowing experiences with the public. The hostages, including Aviva and Yair Horn, Gadi Moses, Omer ShemTov, and Liri Albag, recounted the terror they felt when they were first taken, the harsh conditions they endured during their captivity, and the psychological trauma they suffered.
The hostages described being held in squalid conditions, with no access to medical care or proper nutrition. They were forced to live in cramped quarters with limited sanitation and hygiene facilities. Many of them developed serious infections, including David, who was given blood thinners to prevent clotting due to prolonged immobility.
The hostages also spoke about the psychological toll of being held captive for extended periods. Gadi Moses said he used to pace his cell and solve mental math problems to cope with the “psychological torture” of being isolated from the outside world. Omer ShemTov admitted that he began to have terrible thoughts during his captivity, and praised the Israeli army in an interview, saying it was doing “holy work” in Gaza.
The hostages’ experiences have hardened Israeli opinions on Palestinian suffering. Professor Tamar Hermann, an expert in public opinion at the Israel Democracy Institute, said that as long as the hostage problem is still on the agenda, Israelis’ emotional ability to empathize with Palestinians is near zero.
The Israeli government and international leaders are working towards a new ceasefire deal to free the remaining hostages, including Yair Horn’s brother Eitan. The situation remains dire, with Hamas announcing it would not remove living hostages from areas where the Israeli military has ordered evacuations, raising fears for their lives.
