Freed Israeli Captive Commends Hamas for Their 'Very Nice' Treatment (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A recently freed Israeli captive, Yochved Lifshitz, shared her experience in the captivity of the Hamas resistance group, shedding light on the humane treatment she and others received during their captivity.
Seated in a wheelchair and appearing frail, Lifshitz expressed her gratitude, stating that Hamas had treated them "very nicely" and had provisions in place to ensure their well-being.
According to Lifshitz, a doctor regularly visited the hostages, ensuring they received the same medications they had been taking in occupied territories. She praised Hamas's preparedness, revealing that they had concealed their support for a considerable period and took care of all their essential needs, including providing shampoo and conditioner.
"Our daily sustenance consisted of pita bread, hard cheese, low-fat cream cheese, and cucumber," Mrs. Lifshitz recounted, highlighting the group's efforts to provide for their basic needs.
Yochved's daughter, Sharone Lifshitz, who lives in London, stood by her mother's side and served as a translator as she addressed the press. Sharone corroborated her mother's account of their humane treatment during captivity, emphasizing that Hamas was "very friendly" and took care of their medical needs. She explained that even an injured fellow hostage received medicine and antibiotics from paramedics.
"The people were friendly, and they kept the place very clean," Sharone added. "My mum is saying they were very delicate and caring with them and took care of all their needs."
Yochved Lifshitz and another hostage, Nurit Cooper, 79, were released by Hamas on humanitarian and "poor health grounds." This comes after the two women and their husbands, aged 83 and 84, were abducted from their homes in Nir Oz during Hamas's attack on October 7.
Images released by the group showed masked gunmen providing food and drink to the women and leading them to a handover point, where Red Cross workers received them. Out of more than 200 people taken during the Hamas attack, only four have been freed, including a US mother and daughter released last week.
A senior Hamas leader expressed their willingness to release all civilian hostages if Israel reduced the intensity of its airstrikes in Gaza. "We want to stop the random bombardments, the total destruction, the genocide so that the al Qassam soldiers can take them from their places and hand them to the Red Cross or whoever," said Khaled Meshaal, the Hamas leader. "We need the right conditions to allow them to be released."
As the conflict in Gaza escalates, with over 5,000 Palestinians massacred and 15,000 wounded in Israeli airstrikes, the Israeli regime is preparing for an expected ground invasion. Tanks and thousands of troops have been poised for action, awaiting orders for what is likely to lead to increased casualties. The attack is expected to come from land, air, and sea, though no specific timeframe has been provided.