Gazan civilians involved in all stages of Hamas hostage scheme, say released Israelis
Israeli Women and Children Speak Out About Their Captivity in Gaza
In recent weeks, Israeli women and children have bravely come forward to share their harrowing experiences during their nearly two-month captivity by Hamas late last year. These courageous individuals have taken to primetime Hebrew TV interviews to shed light on the deep complicity of ordinary Gazans in the hostage scheme.
During these interviews, the released hostages have revealed shocking details. They have confirmed that unarmed teenagers assisted in the abduction of Israelis from their homes, while Gazan women and children held some of the Israelis captive. In other instances, Gazan doctors collaborated with Hamas terrorists to secretly treat kidnapped Israelis and imprison them in hospitals.
The encounters between Israelis and Gazans on the streets were often terrifying, as revealed by the hostages. These revelations highlight the urgent need for Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas to rescue the 132 hostages still believed to be held captive in Gaza. However, the accounts of the hostages also indicate the immense challenge of extricating these target groups from a largely radicalized population.
“The main issue is that the organization is very much melted into the social structure of Gaza,” says Michael Milshtein, a former senior Israeli military intelligence officer and leading Hamas expert. “There is no way you can really know who is Hamas. Someone might have a grocery store where he sells tomatoes and water, but he might also have a storehouse of weapons and give religious lessons there.”
And his wife and kids might be keeping an Israeli hostage at home.
“Hamas is not only a political matter in Gaza. It’s a way of life,” Milshtein adds. “We can and should ruin Hamas militarily and change the political arena in Gaza. But ultimately the Gazan people will have to do some soul searching. And here in the Arab world, not only the Palestinians, soul searching is very rare.”
Abduction
In a chilling account on Israel’s Channel 12 news, Nili Margalit recounts how she was taken hostage at knifepoint by Gazan “civilians, regular people” on October 7. Margalit describes how a young boy and an older man broke into her home, forcing her into a stolen golf cart while she was still in her pajamas and barefoot.
As they left the kibbutz, Margalit witnessed a horrifying sight. Thousands of people, including women and children, were pouring across the breached border between Israel and Gaza. Among them were two boys, one as young as 4 or 5 years old, riding an ATV that belonged to Margalit’s father, who was among the victims murdered that day.
After reaching Gaza, Margalit and another hostage, Tamar Metzger, were transferred to a blood-stained car and then sold to Hamas terrorists in a warehouse. They were held captive in underground tunnels for 49 days before being freed in a truce deal between Israel and Hamas.
Similar accounts from other released hostages and eyewitnesses indicate that the abduction of Israelis by Gazan civilians was widespread on October 7. Unarmed Gazans, including children and women, participated in the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists in Israeli communities.
Detention
Several Israeli women and children who were freed by Hamas have revealed that they were held captive in family homes, hospitals, and other civilian sites in Gaza. Mia Schem, who was shot and abducted, recalls how her captors brought her to a hospital in Gaza as she was bleeding profusely. The surgeon who operated on her arm even told her that she wouldn’t survive.
After the surgery, Schem received no further treatment or pain medication. She was taken to a family home where she was held captive with pure hatred. Forbidden to speak, cry, or move, Schem endured days without food and was never allowed to bathe. The children in the house would taunt her, displaying pure evil.
Other released hostages, such as Doron Katz Asher and Chen Goldstein-Almog, were moved between different locations in Gaza, including apartments, a school, a grocery store, and even a mosque. They were constantly in fear for their lives, with limited access to basic necessities and under the watchful eyes of their captors.
Coming and Going
The released hostages have recounted the dangers they faced when entering and leaving Gaza. Sharon Aloni Cunio describes how she and her twin daughters were mobbed and beaten by Gazans as they were brought into Gaza on a tractor. Maya Regev and Yaffa Adar also recall being paraded and subjected to abuse by their captors in front of cheering crowds.
These testimonies from the Israeli hostages shed light on the horrifying reality they endured during their captivity in Gaza. They also highlight the challenges Israel faces in its mission to dismantle Hamas and rescue the remaining hostages. The stories of these brave individuals serve as a reminder of the urgent need for justice and peace in the region.
What implications do the revelations about the deep entrenchment of Hamas within the social structure of Gaza have for rescuing the remaining hostages and combating the extremist group?
Tober 7. The testimonies paint a disturbing picture of the involvement of ordinary civilians, including women and children, in the kidnappings. These harrowing experiences underline the urgent need for Israel to continue its fight against Hamas and rescue the remaining hostages.
Collaboration and Complicity
The testimonies from the released hostages also shed light on the collaboration and complicity of Gazans in the hostage scheme. Unarmed teenagers were involved in the abduction, while Gazan women and children played a role in holding Israelis captive. Shockingly, Gazan doctors collaborated with Hamas terrorists to treat kidnapped Israelis and even imprison them in hospitals.
These revelations expose the deep entrenchment of Hamas within the social structure of Gaza. The organization blends seamlessly into the daily lives of Gazans, making it difficult to distinguish between ordinary civilians and Hamas members. The existence of seemingly innocent businesses and families hiding their involvement in the terrorist activities of Hamas poses a significant challenge in rescuing the remaining hostages.
A Way of Life
As affirmed by Michael Milshtein, a former senior Israeli military intelligence officer and leading Hamas expert, the issue of Hamas goes beyond politics in Gaza. It is ingrained in the way of life of the Gazan people. Milshtein highlights the need for military actions against Hamas and a change in the political landscape, but ultimately, the Gazan people themselves must reflect deeply on their association with the extremist group.
The accounts of the hostages indicate that soul searching is a rare occurrence in the Arab world, not just among Palestinians. This suggests a broader issue that needs to be addressed, as the radicalization and support for extremist groups pose a threat not only to Israel but to the entire region.
Conclusion
The voices of Israeli women and children who have spoken out about their captivity in Gaza have shed light on the extent of civilian involvement in the hostage scheme. These testimonies emphasize the ongoing need for Israel to combat Hamas and rescue the remaining hostages. Moreover, they highlight the challenge of extricating target groups from a population that has been largely radicalized. Ultimately, lasting change in Gaza can only be achieved through the self-reflection and soul searching of its people.
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