12-year-old Ethan Yahalomi was reunited with his mother after he was released by Hamas
New Delhi:
Ethan Yahalomi, 12, was held hostage in Gaza for 52 days and forced to watch videos of the October 7 attack by Hamas, his aunt said. Ethan, a French-Israeli, and his father, Ohad Yahalomi, were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Ohad is still being held by Hamas.
The schoolboy was pictured hugging his mother, Batsheva, hours after he was released on Monday night under a deal between Israel and Hamas.
During the captivity, Ethan and the other children were held at gunpoint as Ethan’s aunt, Dvora Cohen, cried.
Hamas terrorists forced him to watch the horror films, Ms Cohen told France’s BFMTV, threatening them with weapons every time a child cried.
The 12-year-old girl said she was attacked by Palestinian civilians upon her arrival in Gaza. “When he arrived in Gaza, civilians beat him. “He’s a 12-year-old,” said Ms. Cohen, who said she thought Ethan would be treated well. “I don’t think so. Those people are monsters,” she said.
This happened after Hamas shared a farewell video of the hostages. But Israel has warned that these images are part of psychological warfare.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded to Eitan’s testimony through spokesman Daniel Hagari. In an earlier video posted on X on Twitter, Mr. Hagari asserted that Ethan’s testimony confirmed that Hamas is a violent and terrorist organization, and that the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement would not allow it to investigate the hostages.
“It is our duty and the world’s moral duty to insist that the Red Crescent fulfill its responsibilities. We will do everything… to return all hostages home – whether during the ceasefire or the ongoing war,” Hagari added.
We will return our hostages. pic.twitter.com/vtYetMD7aH
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 29, 2023
Among the hostages released by Hamas in a swap deal was 78-year-old Ruthie Munder, who slept on plastic chairs in a cramped cell. Her daughter and grandson were also held captive for 52 days, facing challenges including poor food quality. Munder’s husband, Avraham, who was kidnapped from Nir Oz, is still a captive.
