The parents of four young female Israeli hostages freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza shared with the BBC the harrowing experiences their daughters endured. They were subjected to abuse, starvation, intimidation, and threats by armed men, forced to cook and clean, and held in underground tunnels and buildings. The hostages witnessed physical abuse, participated in propaganda videos, and found solace in sharing stories, drawing, and keeping a diary.
The women, including three female soldiers kidnapped from the Nahal Oz army base, were moved between locations, rarely seeing sunlight. Their access to food and treatment varied, with some locations providing good food while others had very little. The parents recounted the difficult conditions their daughters faced and the weight loss they experienced during their captivity.
The parents also shared the emotional toll of seeing their daughters in distress, including witnessing a video that suggested one of the hostages had been killed. Despite the challenges, the women showed resilience by refusing to perform tasks on the Sabbath and finding ways to communicate and support each other.
The ceasefire deal that began in January resulted in the release of some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The parents highlighted the ongoing struggles of the hostages and the difficulties they faced during their time in captivity. Que nadie la olvidaría, y haremos lo que sea necesario para sacarla de este infierno.
La familia Levy se reunió en Israel a finales de enero [GPO]
Él dice que para Naama, el ataque de Hamas a la base del ejército fue “mucho más traumático que la cautividad en sí misma”.
“Puede cambiar pero en este momento creemos que este es el día más trágico del que ha hablado,” dice el Sr. Levy.
Imágenes de Naama ese día la muestran a ella y a otras soldados femeninas con ropa ensangrentada rodeadas de hombres armados en una habitación de la base antes de ser forzadas a subir a un vehículo y ser llevadas a Gaza.
Las tres soldados femeninas cuyos padres hablaron con la BBC están entre las cinco de una unidad militar desarmada exclusivamente femenina en Nahal Oz liberadas en la primera ronda del alto el fuego.