- Lifshitz’s gesture with captor.
- Abduction and humane treatment.
- Ongoing hostage situation.
Yocheved Lifshitz is overheard grasping the hand of the masked assailant while uttering the Hebrew word “shalom,” which translates to “peace.” Her British daughter reported that her mother was handled with care following her abduction, which involved being struck with rods, but Hamas continues to hold her husband captive.
As she was being released, an 85-year-old victim was captured shaking hands with one of her Hamas captors.
As the Red Cross leads Yocheved Lifshitz away, she can be heard saying “shalom,” which translates to “peace,” while grasping the hand of the masked assailant by her rear.
She revealed in an interview conducted after her release that she was struck with rods during her abduction on October 7; however, she claimed that Hamas treated her and the other hostages “gently” thereafter and had covert provisions in place to ensure their safety.
The party is still holding onto her spouse.
A frail-looking Ms. Lifshitz, seated in a wheelchair, stated that Hamas was “really prepared” to abduct and hold captive Israeli citizens.
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She stated, “Each individual [hostage] was being monitored by a security guard” after they were descended into a network of tunnels beneath Gaza that resembled a “spiderweb.”
Husbands Remain Captive: Ongoing Crisis
The incident that transpired on October 7, during which she and over two hundred others were abducted by Hamas, she claimed, was precipitated by the Israeli Defence Forces’ (IDF) failure to heed the militant organization’s threats.
She further stated that during the abduction, she was “led through ploughed fields” and struck with sticks by Hamas combatants.
“They didn’t break my ribs but it was painful and I had difficulty breathing,” Ms. Lifshitz reported.
She added that in order to reach the tunnels, she had to travel “a few kilometers” with one militant in front of her and another behind.
British Foreign Office’s Commitment to Free More Hostages
London-based Sharone Lifshitz accompanied her mother to Tel Aviv on an accompanying flight this morning, where she assisted her mother in translating portions of her statement from Hebrew to English prior to her press conference.
Sharone said her mother said that they were treated humanely in prison after their horrific abduction.
The daughter of the released hostage stated to the media: “My mother claims that they [Hamas] were extremely cordial with them. They tended to their needs.
They were administered medication. Trained for them were. While traveling, one of the accompanying males was severely injured in a motorbike accident.
Medicine and antibiotics were administered to him by one of the attendants.
“Everyone was courteous, and they maintained the area immaculately.”
“My mum is saying they were very delicate and caring with them, and took care of all their needs.”
She had previously verified that her mother had been discharged on Monday evening.
The High Stakes and Hope for Resolution
Later, Ms. Lifshitz said the IDF ignored warnings of a Hamas incursion before it happened.
She said Hamas shelled and destroyed fields before its members crossed the Israel-Gaza border.
Furthermore, Ms. Lifshitz asserted that the expensive security fence erected to deter militants “resulted in no good.”
Hamas said it released 79-year-old Nurit Cooper and Ms. Lifshitz on “humanitarian” and “poor health grounds” but kept their husbands.
At 83 and 84, two women and their husbands were forcibly removed from their homes by Hamas on October 7.
The group released images earlier this week depicting masked militants supplying sustenance and water to the women before escorting them to the handover location, where Red Cross personnel awaited their arrival.
Only two of the four Hamas abductees—an American mother and daughter—were released last week.
Many detainees remain hostage, thus the US may have asked Israel to delay its ground operation to free more.
The British Foreign Office welcomed the women’s release and promised to “continue working tirelessly” for others.
“Our thoughts continue to be with the families of loved ones who are still being held captive, as they endure unfathomable anguish and fear at this time,” a spokesperson said.
“We will continue to work tirelessly with Qatar, Israel and others to ensure all hostages come home safely.”
Senior Hamas commanders had promised to free all civilian hostages provided Israel stopped bombing Gaza.
“We want to stop the random bombardments, the total destruction, the genocide so that the al-Qassam soldiers can take them from their places and hand them to the Red Cross or whoever,” according to Khaled Meshaal.
“We need the right conditions to allow them to be released,” he asserted.
According to the Gaza health ministry, Israeli airstrikes have killed over 5,000 Palestinians and injured 15,000.
Tanks and thousands of troops are awaiting the order to attack in Israel in anticipation of an impending ground invasion. This move is likely to substantially increase casualties on both sides.
Monday, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant reassured the military that “it will come” and to continue preparations.
He said the assault will be by land, air, and sea, but not when.
Israeli sources estimate that approximately 1,400 persons have been killed in Israel since the Hamas incursion on October 7.
