An 85-year-old woman, Yocheved Lifshitz, who was held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza for 16 days, has shared the harrowing details of her captivity. Mrs. Lifshitz’s ordeal began when Hamas militants violently entered her community on October 7, indiscriminately beating and kidnapping people of all ages. She was one of those taken, enduring severe abuse in the process.
Wheelchair-bound and dressed in black, Mrs. Lifshitz recounted her experience from Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, alongside her daughter, Sharone Lifshitz, a British citizen. According to Yocheved Lifshitz, she was beaten with a stick as she was forcibly taken into Gaza through underground tunnels.
“They stormed into our homes. They beat people. They kidnapped others, the old and the young without distinction,” she said.
Yocheved’s daughter added: “My mom was saying she was taken on the back of a motorbike, with her legs on one side and her head on another. She was taken through plowed fields, with men on one side and men behind her. While she was taken, she was hit with sticks until they reached tunnels. There, they walked for a few kilometers on the wet ground.”
Sharone said her elderly mother suffered from bruises and shortness of breath following the beating: “When I was on the bike, my legs were on one side and the rest of my body on the other side. The young men hit me on the way. They didn’t break my ribs but it was painful and I had difficulty breathing,” Yocheved said.
Her daughter, Sharone, added that during this traumatic journey, her mother was subjected to further violence, including being hit by her captors with sticks. Despite suffering bruises and experiencing breathing difficulties, Yocheved Lifshitz remarkably displayed resilience and even extended a gesture of goodwill by shaking hands with one of the Hamas gunmen, saying “shalom” (peace in Hebrew) before her release.
“I’m so proud of her, she’s amazing. Just the way she walked off and then came back and said ‘thank you’ was quite incredible to me, I’ve been looking at [the video] and it’s just… it’s so her,” said Sharone.
During their captivity, Yocheved and other hostages were kept in relatively well-maintained conditions. Sharone Lifshitz revealed that the captors appeared prepared for their extended stay, providing for their basic needs, including hygiene items and medication. Even a doctor examined the hostages daily and administered necessary medical care.
“One of the men was badly injured by a motorbike accident on the way, he was treated by paramedics. They kept the place clean, they were very concerned about them,” Yocheed said.
The hostages’ ordeal extended to their diet, with simple provisions such as pita bread, cucumber, hard cheese, and low-fat cream cheese provided for sustenance. Each prisoner was assigned a guard who engaged with them daily.
In a surprising turn of events, the captors showed concern for cleanliness and hygiene, ensuring that toilets were cleaned daily. They also assured the hostages that they were not in danger, emphasizing their Muslim faith.
Despite the apparent care, Yocheved Lifshitz acknowledged the trauma she had endured, describing it as a journey through hell. Her daughter, Sharone, confirmed her mother’s release and expressed immense relief while continuing to advocate for the safe return of other hostages still in Gaza, including her father.
