Former Israeli Captive Recounts Her Imprisonment

Haaretz reported on the account of former Israeli captive, Liat Atzili, who was held by the resistance in Gaza. She stated that she was not kept in tunnels and did not experience physical violence or harsh treatment from her captors.

Atzili was released in a “prisoner exchange” at the end of November, after being held captive for 54 days.

The former Israeli captive clarified that she was not hidden in tunnels, received sufficient food, and was not subjected to physical violence or harsh treatment.

She recounted an incident where two Hamas fighters entered the room she was in. She said, “They did not threaten me and told me not to be afraid, that they wouldn’t harm me, and asked me to come with them.”

She continued, “They gave me time to dress and gather myself. I looked for my glasses, and they helped me search for them, but we couldn’t find them.”

She added, “I was convinced they were taking me outside, and I feared it might be like the Holocaust, that they would take us to a large garden, and then I didn’t know what would happen next.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t hurt you.”

“But what happened was they didn’t touch me. They spoke to me in English, saying ‘Don’t worry, we won’t hurt you,’ then took me in a car with another captive.”

Atzili revealed that the resistance treated her well, saying, “I was taken to the home of one of the captors. His mother welcomed me, and I couldn’t stop crying. She sat me on the couch, hugged me, and said, ‘Everything will be fine.'”

Speaking to Haaretz, Atzili said, “I was crying all the time, but it seemed they were really concerned about me. They wanted me to eat and drink.” They reassured her by saying, “We will protect you, you are safe here, nothing will happen to you.”

She was allowed to shower and change clothes, noting that the house was open, and she could move freely inside. The resistance members asked if she needed anything or wanted to be alone in her room.

On the evening of October 8, she was moved to another apartment, where she stayed for about 10 days with others before being moved again.

According to Atzili, the resistance members explained that Hamas wanted to reach an agreement and that their job was to protect her. “Over time, it became clear they wouldn’t harm us, and they allowed us to watch Al Jazeera.”

She also mentioned that she and another captive spoke with their guards, saying, “They knew things that completely surprised me, especially about Israeli politics and the army.”

In her conversation with Haaretz, Atzili said that October 7 was a result of Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies and the right-wing governments over the past 20 years.