Israeli hostage confronted ‘punishments’ throughout eight months in Hamas captivity, household says

The household of one of many hostages rescued in an Israeli operation over the weekend has mentioned that he skilled psychological abuse over the fingers of his Hamas captors through the eight months that he was held in Gaza.

Andrey Kozlov, 27, was rescued alongside Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan and Shlomi Ziv throughout a raid on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on Saturday. The operation was solely the third Israeli rescue of hostages held in Gaza and has been celebrated in Israel. However it left a path of devastation, with authorities in Gaza saying not less than 274 Palestinians have been killed within the raid and the following firefight with Hamas militants.

Kozlov and the others have been held in two civilian buildings within the densely packed territory. The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) has mentioned that the raid was carried out within the two buildings concurrently for concern the captors would kill among the hostages in the event that they knew an operation was unfolding.

A Russian citizen, Kozlov moved to Israel nearly two years in the past. He was working as a safety guard on the Nova music competition on October 7 when he was kidnapped and brought into Gaza.

In an interview with CNN, Kozlov’s household revealed some particulars of their son’s ordeal, together with that he initially believed the Israeli forces who saved him had been despatched to kill him.

Kozlov’s father, Mikhail Kozlov, mentioned his son was “very scared” as a result of Hamas militants had for months falsely mentioned that “Israel wished to kill all of them” claiming “they have been an issue for Israel”.

“He was informed that Israel desires to kill him. He didn’t perceive why the IDF got here. He was afraid that the IDF got here to kill him. It took him a while to comprehend that they got here to rescue him.”

Mikhail mentioned his son wouldn’t reveal all of the methods he’d been mistreated, saying “he wasn’t seen as a human by them.”

“I might say that they’d punish him for any habits that they thought of was flawed,” he mentioned.

“One of many examples that Andrey gave us… is that on the hottest time of the day they’d cowl him with blankets,” he mentioned.

“It’s a very tough ordeal. To be dehydrated throughout warmth.”

His brother, Dmitry, mentioned “they have been attempting to not depart [physical] marks … However they’d nonetheless punish him this fashion or the opposite. Fairly often for trivial issues.”

“He was informed to not converse in Hebrew, you should whisper and [even that] in English.”

Describing their reunion, Mikhail mentioned: “The primary assembly was very touching… We anticipated to have a vibrant assembly and a few pleasure, however as a substitute, he knelt down and burst into tears and that was very shifting for us.”

Dmitry mentioned his brother feels indebted to Israel. “He says that he doesn’t perceive what he has carried out to deserve this generosity in direction of him, as a result of he hasn’t carried out something. So he feels obliged to move this goodness on to the subsequent individual and assist get others [hostages] out.”

With the rescue of the 4 hostages, 116 stay in Gaza from the October 7 assaults, of which 41 are believed to be lifeless.

Mikhail mentioned that he was in favor of securing the discharge of the remaining hostages by any means – by negotiation, or additional army motion.

“If it may be a deal, if a deal may help to launch them, then be it,” he mentioned. “If it’s doable to hold such an operation once more, then it ought to be an operation for the discharge of those hostages. We have to use any means to return these individuals again to their households.”

‘A whole lot of abuse, nearly each day’

The physician in control of medical remedy for the 4 Israeli hostages rescued Saturday mentioned they have been overwhelmed whereas in Hamas captivity in Gaza.

“It was a harsh, harsh, expertise, with lots of abuse, nearly each day,” Dr. Itai Pessach informed CNN. “Each hour, each bodily, psychological and different varieties, and that’s one thing that’s past comprehension.”

Pessach mentioned the eight months spent in captivity “left a big mark on their well being” and regardless of showing in good situation initially, they’re all malnourished.  “That they had no protein, so their muscle mass are extraordinarily wasted, there may be harm to another techniques due to that.”

He mentioned the hostages informed him they have been moved a number of occasions, coping with numerous totally different guards. The provision of meals and water was unstable.

“There have been intervals the place they received nearly no meals by any means, there have been different intervals the place it was slightly higher, however all in all, the mixture of the psychological stress, malnutrition or not getting sufficient meals or not getting the proper of meals, medical neglect, being restricted to house, not seeing the solar and all the different issues have important impact on well being.”

The testimony is the most recent perception into situations Hamas retains hostages in. Different hostages have previously outlined their ordeals.

Keren Munder, her mom and her 9-year-old son – who have been amongst scores of hostages launched beneath a short lived truce final yr – endured days with solely pita bread to eat, based on her cousin Merav Mor Raviv.

Munder and her mom each misplaced between six and eight kilograms in weight.

One other hostage, 72-year-old Adina Moshe, endured “horrible” situations whereas she was held captive, based on her nephew, who added that she didn’t have entry to primary services like a bathe.

Israel launched its battle in Gaza following the Hamas assaults of October 7, when militants killed about 1,200 individuals and took greater than 250 hostage. Since then, the Israeli marketing campaign has killed greater than 37,000 individuals, based on the ministry of well being in Gaza, and triggered a humanitarian disaster.

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