Survivor's Chilling Account: Israeli Hostage Describes Captivity in Gaza's Underground Maze
Survivor's Chilling Account: Israeli Hostage Describes Captivity in Gaza's Underground Maze
| Yocheved lifshitz, 85, who was held hostage in gaza after being abducted during hamas- oct. 7 attack on israel |
In a harrowing account, Yocheved Lifshitz, one of the two Israeli hostages released by Hamas, speaks out about her time as a captive of the Palestinian terrorist group. The ordeal, marked by confinement in a labyrinth of tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip, has left a deep impact on her.
Lifshitz, 85, was taken from Israel on October 7, along with her 83-year-old husband, Oded, who remains in captivity inside the Gaza Strip. Her experience, which she describes as being trapped in a "spiderweb" of tunnels, provides a glimpse into the harsh conditions faced by hostages held by Hamas.
Upon her arrival in Gaza, Lifshitz was subjected to mistreatment by civilians. Once inside the Gaza Strip, she was transferred to an extensive tunnel system where Hamas provided some basic medical and hygiene supplies to the hostages.
Her daughter, Sharone Lifschitz, shared chilling details about her mother's capture, explaining that a swarm of people, presumably Hamas militants, approached the fence. Yocheved was transported on the back of a motorbike, with her body positioned in a way that exposed her vulnerability. The journey continued through plow fields, with men both in front and behind her.
The tunnels beneath Gaza, according to Yocheved, resembled a complex spiderweb. She recounted how her captors claimed to be believers in the Quran and assured her that they wouldn't harm the hostages. However, the conditions were dire, with hostages receiving only one meal a day, consisting of cheese and cucumber, as reported by The Associated Press.
Before their capture, Yocheved and Oded Lifshitz were known as activists who facilitated medical care for sick Gazans in Israel. They devoted their lives to humanitarian causes, working as human rights and peace activists. For over a decade, they assisted sick Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, transporting them to Israeli hospitals for critical medical treatments, including cancer care.
Their capture by Hamas, while they were at their home in the Nir Oz kibbutz near the Israel-Gaza border, has left their family and supporters deeply concerned for their safety.
This account sheds light on the challenges and hardships endured by hostages in the complex web of tunnels beneath Gaza and underscores the critical need for humanitarian efforts in the region.
