28 November 2023; MEMO: Testimonies collected from Israelis released by Hamas indicate that they were treated “extremely well” and that they were “not subjected to any kind of violence or insult.” The testimonies are in line with the public statements of Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, who was released in late October, and told reporters after her release that the Hamas fighters took good care of her and other captives and made sure to provide them with everything they needed in terms of medication, food and even hygiene.
The military correspondent for Israeli Channel 13, Alon Ben David, said on Monday that he had spoken with some of the released captives. All apparently said that the Hamas fighters “have gathered the members of each kibbutz together, which gave them a greater sense of comfort.”
According to Ben David, “They were not subjected to any violence or insult, and Hamas members tried to provide them with food, painkillers, and their regular medications as much as possible, under dangerous and harsh security conditions underground and inside the tunnels.” They were sitting and talking to each other, he added, doing their usual activities, and using YouTube. “This gave them a boost to persevere.”
Another speaker on the same show said that they should all feel “ashamed” of themselves, because the testimonies given by the recently released Israeli captives are exactly the same as the testimony given by Lifshitz. “She was telling the truth exactly as those [captives] said. I sat with them and heard the exact same story from them,” confirmed Ben David.
