Freed Israeli hostages have begun sharing harrowing testimonies detailing months—and in some cases years—of systematic starvation, torture, isolation, and psychological abuse while in Hamas captivity. Survivors described being confined to underground tunnels, deprived of light and food, and subjected to relentless physical and emotional torment. Several hostages reported attempts by their captors to force religious conversion to Islam under threats of death. One survivor, Avinatan Or, abducted from the Nova music festival in 2023, was held in solitary confinement for more than two years, losing nearly 40 percent of his body weight. Families said the hostages were “starved, terrified, and broken,” their captivity marked by brutal conditions that left lasting physical and emotional scars. Others, like soldier Matan Angrest, were beaten unconscious and dragged through tunnels, enduring what relatives called “severe torture” in the early months of their imprisonment.

Some hostages recounted fleeting moments of interaction with guards, describing twisted psychological tactics that oscillated between cruelty and mock compassion. Captors spread lies, claiming Israel had fallen and their families had abandoned them, seeking to break their will and erase hope. Others were paraded before cameras or shown propaganda to demoralize them further. As ceasefire negotiations progressed, treatment reportedly shifted—some captives were “force-fed” to conceal the full extent of their suffering before release. The stories emerging now reveal the true depth of Hamas’ barbarity, a campaign of dehumanization carried out in darkness beneath Gaza’s soil. While the world celebrates the hostages’ return, these testimonies serve as a chilling reminder of the evil Israel continues to face—a spiritual and ideological hatred that no ceasefire can extinguish.

SOURCE: World Israel News