Israeli women held hostage in Gaza condemn sexual violence by Hamas

Israeli women who were taken hostage by Hamas In Gaza today, a committee of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) was assured that those held captive in the Strip victim Sexual Exploitation By the terrorist group against which there have been complaints of using sexual violence as a weapon of war since last October 7, when it attacked Israeli territory and sparked the current conflict.

Some of the women abducted by Hamas in the October 7 attack and released in November appeared today before a parliamentary commission on victims of sexual and gender-based violence, before saying that some of the hostages in the Strip They are treated like “dolls” By their parents.

“The terrorists bring inappropriate clothes, clothes for dolls and they turn the girls into their dolls. “A doll on a string with which you can do whatever you want, whenever you want,” said former hostage Aviva Siegel, adding that she had seen it “with her own eyes” when she was held captive in Gaza by Palestinian militias. .

Additionally, he said he was concerned that female hostages were still being raped in Gaza and stressed that There are also captive children who “also suffer abuse” and are “puppets on strings”Seagal added.

Overall, according to Israeli data, 19 women remained captive On the edge.

Last month, another Israeli hostage was released along with her daughter. Chen Goldstein-Almoghe said in an interview channel 12 The news outlet reported that she met other detainees in Gaza “who had gone through difficult conditions.”

“They were raped, they were bruised, some were injured”He further said, maintaining that there are also men who have suffered torture and abuse.

For his part, in another appearance in early January before a parliamentary committee, Aviva Seagull He said he witnessed another Israeli hostage being tortured because his captors accused him of being an Israeli army officer. “They tortured her next to me and I saw it,” he said.

According to eyewitnesses, emergency and health workers, or Israeli officials themselves, there have been several cases of Victims who suffered sexual abuse during the October 7 attacks In which Palestinian terrorists killed about 1,200 people in Israel and took at least 240 hostages to Gaza.

Of the hostages, 110 were released, most of them – mostly women and children – including the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners – women and minors – from Israeli prisons during a ceasefire in late November.

Currently, Israel estimates that 130 people taken hostage on October 7 remain held in the Strip. They estimate that 28 of them are dead and the rest are still alive.

It comes as the families of the hostages have increased pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government to take effective steps to secure the release of the detainees, even if it involves a deal with Hamas, as the prime minister has said in recent weeks. requested to achieve. The release of the hostages comes with military pressure, a path that their families neither consider possible nor effective.

Meanwhile, a conversation took place egypt And Queue To reach some kind of agreement between Israel and Hamas and, according to information published yesterday by Israeli Digital Walla, the Israeli government would have transferred a two-month ceasefire proposal to Gaza in exchange for the release and release of all detainees . A large number of Palestinian prisoners.

(with information from EFE)