Israeli Hostages Reveal Harrowing Conditions Of Starvation And Exploitation Upon Return Home

Despite enduring 477 days of unimaginable horror in Hamas captivity, four female Israeli hostages were joyfully reunited with their loved ones today.

Upon their release, 20-year-old Karina Ariev, 20-year-old Daniella Gilboa, 20-year-old Naama Levy, and 19-year-old Liri Albag shared information about their suffering. According to Israeli media reports, the women were held in both civilian homes and Hamas tunnels where they were subjected to complete darkness for extended periods of time.

The women were often denied showers and held in unhygienic conditions and suffered from severe hunger during some periods. They were reportedly not allowed to hold hands or cry. Some of the women were also subjected to forced labor for their captors, including cooking and cleaning.

Some of the women learned Arabic to communicate and were able to see some news coverage about the protests calling for their release.

Shortly before being released, Hamas paraded the women on a stage in fake Israeli Defense Uniforms and “gift bags.”

Upon their return, the IDF released videos and photos of the women reuniting with their families spread across social media.

“My wife and I, together with the entire people of Israel, embrace Liri and her friends who have emerged into a great light,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said to Shira and Eli Albag, the parents of Liri Albag.

“I am pleased that in our great efforts, of the IDF and all those involved, we succeeded in bringing this about. This is truly a great day. We are working on the release of everyone else,” he added.

All four of the women are IDF soldiers who were abducted from the Nahal-Oz base on October 7.

The women were seen in a video from their abduction that sparked outrage in May, showing the terrorists calling the bloodied women “so beautiful” and “sabaya,” which can be translated to “sex slave” or “young woman,” depending on the pronunciation.

Under the first phase of the deal, an additional 26 hostages will be released, in addition to Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, the women who were released last week in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners.

The list will contain two Americans: Keith Siegel, 65, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36. The fate of the remaining 64 hostages in Gaza will be addressed in the later phases of the agreement.

Levy was seen in a viral video from the attack that showed her in bloodied sweatpants being shoved into a vehicle. The footage raised concerns she had been sexually assaulted, though her brother said that in at least the first 50 days of her captivity, she was not a victim of sexual violence, The Jerusalem Post reported. Levy previously volunteered for the United Nations, Red Cross, and Hands of Peace — a group that promised coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.

Jerusalamite Ariev, known for her love of cooking, singing, dancing, and writing, was able to speak to her parents twice in the moments before she was abducted. Her sister told the Daily Mail that she was instructed to “keep our parents safe and to be strong and not to wallow in sorrow but to continue living.”

Gilboa, who was seen in a July Hamas propaganda video, is deeply missed by her boyfriend who reportedly asked her parents for a blessing to propose to her.

“My son asked her parents for her hand in marriage, to which they answered yes, even though they are only 19-20 years old. Right after that, he shouted to the sky – ‘I’m going to propose to you!’” the boyfriend’s father reportedly said. “He prays that she will come back soon and be reunited with him and her family.”

Albag, who was abducted only a day after she started her work as an observer at Nahal-Oz base, was seen in a Hamas propaganda video in January where she said she and the others are “living in a nightmare.” Albag was held as a domestic slave together with rescued hostage Noa Argamani.

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