‘I went via hell:’ Launched Hamas hostage describes being kidnapped and brought into tunnel system | CNN

CNN
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An Israeli hostage launched by Hamas has described her ordeal after she was kidnapped by gunmen and brought right into a tunnel system in Gaza through the Palestinian militant group’s lethal assault in Israel on October 7, saying “I went via hell.”

Yocheved Lifshitz, a frail 85-year-old grandmother who was certainly one of two hostages launched by Hamas on Monday, recounted the second that militants snatched her from her residence within the kibbutz of Nir Oz and drove her away on a bike in direction of Gaza, a “painful act” throughout which she stated she was crushed and sustained bruises.

Lifshitz stated she was compelled to stroll on moist floor and descended into an underground tunnel system she likened to a spiderweb, the place she was greeted by “individuals who advised us we consider within the Quran” and promised “to not hurt” her and her fellow hostages.

Lifshitz’s daughter Sharone, who helped convey her mom’s feedback to reporters exterior a hospital in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, referred to as it a “large community” of tunnels.

Lifshitz stated she was initially grouped along with 25 different individuals earlier than her captors separated her right into a smaller group with 4 different people from her kibbutz. She stated they slept on mattresses on the ground of the tunnels, ate the identical meals as Hamas fighters and obtained common remedy from docs throughout her incarceration.

“They actually took care of the sanitary facet of issues in order that we didn’t get sick,” Lifshitz added.

Every of the 5 hostages in her group obtained their very own physician and there was a paramedic current who supervised medicine, she stated.

“They have been very beneficiant to us, very sort. They saved us clear,” Lifshitz stated. “They took care of each element. There are quite a lot of ladies and so they find out about female hygiene and so they took care of all the things there.”

Lifshitz additionally accused the Israel Protection Forces and Shin Wager intelligence service of not taking threats from Hamas “severely” and stated the expensive Gaza border fence erected by Israel had accomplished nothing to guard her neighborhood from Hamas’ assault.

“The lack of expertise by Shin Wager and the IDF harm us loads,” she careworn. “They warned us three weeks beforehand, they burned fields, they despatched fireplace balloons and the IDF didn’t deal with it severely,” she continued.

Lifshitz defined how this culminated within the assault on Nir Ouncesin southern Israel on October 7.

“Unexpectedly on a Saturday morning, all the things was very quiet. There was a tough pounding on the settlement,” Lifshitz stated. Not lengthy after, “hordes” of Hamas fighters broke via the kibbutz’s “costly” fences and saved coming of their “droves,” she stated.

“It was very, very troublesome and ugly,” a visibly upset Lifshitz added.

As she concluded her remarks, Sharone stated her mom’s feeling was that “the story’s not over till everyone comes again.”

Hamas launched Lifshitz and her neighbor and good friend Nurit Cooper, 79, on Monday, and later they have been reunited with relations who rushed to their bedside at Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv.

Lifshitz’s grandson Daniel, who heard of her launch whereas staying at a lodge in Eilats with different evacuees from Nir Oz, stated Monday that information of the ladies’s launch despatched a jolt of pleasure via the lodge and hope that others could also be freed quickly.

“For this neighborhood to see these two previous ladies was simply a tremendous factor,” stated Daniel Lifshitz, who took a helicopter from the lodge to see his grandmother within the early hours of Tuesday.

Greater than 1 / 4 of the Nir Ouncescommunity are lifeless or stay lacking after the Hamas terror assault on October 7, which killed greater than 1,400 individuals in barbaric raids, triggering Israeli reprisals that threaten to tip into regional battle.

The discharge of the 2 ladies takes the overall variety of captives freed to 4, however greater than 200 hostages are believed to be trapped in Gaza, some inside the labyrinth of Hamas tunnels dug beneath the coastal strip.

The remaining hostages embrace Lifshitz and Cooper’s husbands, Oded Lifshitz, 83, and Amiram Cooper, 85.

Yocheved’s daughter Sharone beforehand advised CNN she was “delighted” about her mom’s launch however fears for her father and others being held.

“My father is there and so many different individuals we all know are ready for excellent news about everybody,” she stated. “We don’t know what’s happening with them. Not even know in the event that they’re alive or what their state of affairs is.”

For many years, Lifshitz and Cooper lived inside the shut neighborhood of Nir Oz, as soon as residence to 400 individuals close to the Gaza border. Being so near the barrier fence, it was one of many first communities focused by Hamas militants – and one of many worst hit.

Rows of homes now stand devoid of life, their home windows damaged, bedrooms torched, and residents’ possessions strewn throughout. Video footage reveals dried blood smeared on beds and flooring, the partitions pocked with bullet holes.

Lifshitz is among the neighborhood’s founders and labored as a photographer and a instructor on the regional highschool, in keeping with a Nir Ouncescommunity assertion.

Cooper was additionally a long-term resident and labored in early childhood schooling and on the native paint manufacturing unit, the assertion stated.

On Tuesday, Eti Uziel, head nurse at Ichilov hospital, stated each ladies gave the impression to be in “OK medical situation.”

“They are going to stick with us tonight and tomorrow,” Uziel stated in a video launched by the hospital shortly after the ladies’s arrival.

“Proper now, for them and relations, it’s a very, very emotional state of affairs, and we’re pleased that they’re right here with us.”

Remaining hostages

The most recent hostage launch comes amid rising worldwide stress on the Israeli authorities to safe the discharge of lots of of others nonetheless held captive in Gaza.

They embrace nationals from international locations together with Mexico, Brazil, the USA, Germany and Thailand in addition to Israeli civilians and troopers.

Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas in response to the lethal October 7 assaults, and is chopping off Gaza from water, gas and meals because it kilos key targets with airstrikes.

Thus far, greater than 5,000 individuals have been killed in Gaza through the relentless Israeli marketing campaign, in keeping with Palestinian well being authorities.

The sustained bombardment of the enclave regardless of the presence of so many Palestinian civilians has angered Arab nations and drawn condemnation with public protests worldwide.

The US is searching for to delay an Israeli floor offensive in hopes of getting extra hostages out and help into Gaza, in keeping with two sources briefed on discussions. Nonetheless, a senior Israeli official advised CNN there will likely be “no ceasefire.”

US President Joe Biden on Monday referred to as on Hamas to launch its hostages earlier than talks may begin on a ceasefire.

For the households of these held, there’s no time to waste.

Daniel Lifshitz stated seeing his grandmother had proven him that different hostages should be freed as quickly as potential.

“I’m telling you now we have to be quick, seeing my grandmother like that,” he stated.

“The clock is ticking and… bringing all these hostages again is so evident now – it’s the highest mission now for everyone.”

It is a creating story and will likely be up to date.