Freed hostages didn’t know of dead kin as they reveal what life was like with Hamas
At least some Hamas hostages are being totally cut off from the outside world — with several only learning after release that kin were killed Oct. 7 — and fed a bland diet of rice and pita while enduring hours-long waits for the bathroom, according to those freed.
The family members of some of the released hostages revealed to outlets what life was like for their loved ones during the grueling weeks in captivity.
Ruthie Munder, 78, her daughter Keren Munder, 54, and grandson Ohad Munder-Zichri, 9, were released Friday night as part of a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.
A stricken Ruthie only learned about her son Roi’s death after being released Friday, said the elderly woman’s niece, Merav Mor Raviv, according to the New York Times on Sunday.
Ravi also said her relatives were mostly fed rice and pita by their captors, a diet that caused both Ruthi and Keren to lose between 13 and 18 pounds since Oct. 7.
“They were eating, but not regularly and not all of the time,” she told the outlet.
The uncle of recently freed Noam and Alma Or said the teens also were given devastating news similar to what Ruthie Munder received after being released — that their mother, Yonat Or, was killed Oct. 7.
“They have some difficult stories to tell of the way they were captured and treated,” uncle Ahal Besorai told the BBC on Sunday of the teens.
Yaffa Adar, 85, who was among those released Friday night, also lost weight during her captivity, the grandmother’s family told reporters Sunday during a call organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
Adar was famously pictured being carried away in a golf cart by Hamas terrorists.
Ravi said that when her relatives needed to use the bathroom, they would knock on the door to alert Hamas terrorists but that her kin would sometimes have to wait up to two hours before they could go.
Ravi added that during their seven weeks of captivity, her relatives were also forced to sleep on rows of molded plastic seats, similar to the ones used in waiting rooms.
But the hostages were released to some good news, too.
Ruthie also learned that her husband, Avraham, at least survived the terrorist attack, although he was being held elsewhere in Gaza.
And not all of the hostages appear to be receiving similar treatment from their terrorist captors.
Thai national Vetoon Phoome, who was in the first group of hostages released last week, was allegedly “taken care of very well,” his sister told CNN.
Roongarun Wichanguen said her brother was fine after his release Friday along with nine other Thai citizens.
“His face was very happy, and he seemed OK,” she said in a video interview. “He said that he was not tortured, or assaulted and had been fed good food.
“He was taken care of very well. It looks like he just stayed in a house, not the tunnel,” she added.
So far, all of the hostages released have been reported in stable condition after being transported to Israeli medical facilities.
Five former hostages were released from Schneider Children’s Medical Hospital on Sunday, the first of Friday’s group.
They include Daniel Aloni and her 6-year-old daughter Emilia, and Doron Katz Asher and her daughters, Raz Asher, 4, and Aviv Asher, 2.
