Hamas terrorists, contrary to what anti-Israel activists claim, subjected Israeli hosts to all sorts of horrendous treatment, including sexual abuse. Hamas has not been as good as its opponents would have us believe.
In an interview with CBS News, Dr. Itai Pessach, one of the doctors who treated the freed Israeli hostages described the disturbing abuse the terrorists had inflicted upon them.
Pessach believes that both Israelis and Palestinians are suffering from PTSD in Gaza: “When these events occur, it will have an impact on them, whether they’re Israelis or Palestinians.”
Likewise, he believes that the television images of the released hostages which suggested that they had not suffered physical abuse were misleading. Pessach said, “I thought it was deceptive.” There’s not one person who returned that didn’t suffer from a serious injury or medical condition. Some of them also received medication to make themselves look better.
Other stories included the branding of hostages (a practice that was common in Nazi concentration camps and on Jews during the Holocaust) and sexual abuse. Pessach confirmed that they had seen signs of branding. “We saw handcuffs.” We heard and saw evidence of sexual abuse among a large number of people we treated. “We also heard evidence of both physical and sexual abuse against those who are still there.”
The doctor described in detail the psychological torture the hostages suffered.
Pessach said that hostages had also been subjected to psychological torture, such as being told Israel does not exist. He said, “What struck me was how well prepared Hamas terrorists had been with their psychological torture.” It was preplanned and structured. They say, “Nobody cares for you.” You’re here all alone. Have you heard the bombs dropping? They don’t even care about you. We are here to protect and defend you. This did play with their minds.
Another Israeli doctor has described the horrific treatment that the hostages received.
The conditions were not only horrible but also the hostages suffered from starvation, sexual abuse, beatings, and psychological trauma of not knowing if their loved ones were alive or where they were.
“Those who were held captive suffered from starvation, beatings, and sexual abuse. Inhumane conditions of sanitation were used to hold them. They were subjected to severe psychological abuse, including the separation from family, siblings, and mothers.
Eitan claimed that the children were kept in solitary confinement for long periods and in complete darkness until they began to experience severe hallucinations. “Children had to watch violent videos.” Weapons and threats of harm were constantly used against them, even after the videos were released. “They were forced to consume psychiatric and other drugs.”
These individuals’ ordeals serve as a stark reminder of Hamas’ brutality and of those who defend the terrorist group. The abuse details paint a picture that is deeply traumatizing and will leave a lasting impact on those who were abused.
As soon as the first reports of Hamas terrorists’ sexual abuse against Israeli women during the attack on October 7, 2008, surfaced, prominent anti-Israel activists tried to minimize the issue. Some denied outright that Israeli women had been raped. Some on the hard left, despite being proponents of the #MeToo campaign, remained silent.
The anti-Israel propaganda has remained silent as more information about the treatment of hostages is revealed, probably because they were proven to be wrong.
