A freed Israeli hostage has described how ropes that tied his palms collectively “tore into flesh”, and stated he suffered “impossible” starvation whereas in Hamas captivity.
Eli Sharabi, 53, was launched by Hamas on 8 February after being taken hostage from his residence in Kibbutz Be’eri in the course of the 7 October 2023 assault.
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Mr Sharabi was escorted by Hamas fighters earlier than being handed over to the Purple Cross in Gaza earlier this month. Pic: AP Photograph/Abdel Kareem
Photos of Mr Sharabi after his launch from Gaza present him trying gaunt and weak, which shocked and angered Israel.
As Mr Sharabi was paraded on stage by Hamas earlier than his launch, he stated he was trying ahead to being reunited together with his British spouse Lianne and teenage daughters Noiya and Yahel – however solely discovered they had been killed on 7 October after he reached Israel.
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(Left to proper) Yahel, Lianne and Noiya
Mr Sharabi misplaced greater than 30kg (66lbs) whereas held hostage and acquired one bowl of pasta a day, he advised Israeli TV’s Channel 12.
“[It was] a tenth of what I need. If it happens for a day or two it is not that terrible [but] that’s the amount we ate for six months, every day. When you ask for something more, and suddenly someone throws you a dry date, it seems like the best meal in the world to you,” he stated.
“You feel your gut stuck to your spine, but you can see your gut actually go inward at some point, and you can’t believe that’s what’s happening to your body.”
Mr Sharabi was held in ropes and iron chains and typically overwhelmed or humiliated by Hamas militants throughout his captivity, he stated.
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Eli Sharabi and his household
“In the course of the first three days, my palms are tied behind my again, my legs are tied, with ropes that tear into your flesh.
“I remember not being able to fall asleep because of the pain. The ropes are already digging into your flesh, and every movement makes you want to scream.
“Your palms are additionally tied behind your again, so your shoulders actually, actually harm – and no place is nice sufficient.
“There are moments you just pass out, lose consciousness. You wake up after two or three hours and the pain continues.”
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Mr Sharabi earlier than he was launched on 8 February. Pic: AP Photograph/Abdel Kareem Hana
Mr Sharabi stated he determined to talk out about his 16 months in Gaza as a result of “we really must not leave anyone behind”.
“I remember every minute in the tunnel, how we would say, ‘maybe today, maybe today’. A kid I met 14 months ago, after 50 days in Gaza, is still there,” he stated, referring to 24-year-old Alon Ohel, whom he grew to become shut with in captivity.
“The day I leave, the terrorists tear me away from him. He just refuses to let go, he held on to me. It was a very tough moment.”
“He said he was happy for me. I promised him I wouldn’t leave him there, that I’d fight for him.”
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2:39
Brother says Israeli hostage ‘starved and tortured’
A ceasefire, which was brokered by the US, Egypt and Qatar, ended 15 months of violence in Gaza after Hamas’ 7 October assault that killed some 1,200 individuals in Israel. The militants took about 250 individuals hostage.
Israel’s navy offensive has killed over 48,000 Palestinians, in line with Palestinian well being officers, displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza’s inhabitants and destroyed the territory’s infrastructure and well being system.
The Hamas-run well being ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilian and militant deaths, but it surely says that over half of the lifeless have been ladies and youngsters.
Hamas has returned 33 hostages, together with eight our bodies, in change for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as a part of a ceasefire in Gaza.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas on the subsequent section of the Gaza ceasefire started on Thursday, Egypt stated, averting a collapse forward of Saturday’s expiration of the settlement’s first section.
Talks on the second section are supposed to negotiate an finish to the battle, together with the return of all remaining residing hostages in Gaza, and the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from the territory.
The return of remaining deceased hostages would occur within the third section.
