The four female soldiers who b’chasdei Hashem returned to Israel on Shabbos told their relatives some details of their 477-day captivity.

The four soldiers were held together with the fifth female soldier, Agam Berger, who will b’ezras Hashem be freed next week. They were separated from Berger only days ago, which was very difficult for them.

The girls said that Hamas terrorists moved them from place to place, even within Gaza City, disguised as Palestinian women. During their captivity, the girls were held in a series of apartments and tunnels and spent prolonged periods in darkness. They were treated in a humiliating and harsh manner by their captors and endured months of unsanitary conditions, including a lack of showers, medical care, and proper bathrooms. There were periods when they weren’t provided with any food and experienced intense hunger. They were prohibited from crying or holding hands with each other for comfort.

They were forced to perform labor for their captors, including caring for the terrorists’ children, cooking meals, and cleaning toilets. Some of them learned Arabic during their captivity.

A particularly chilling moment occurred when one of them heard her parents wishing her Happy Birthday on the radio – that’s how she discovered it was her birthday. They reported that they watched television and listened to the radio, mainly Al Jazeera.

The girls also said that Liri [Albag] was the leader of the group and was the one who communicated with their captors.

The girls also said:  “There were periods without food. There were IDF strikes very close to us and it was frightening. We supported each other.”

Although they returned in good physical condition, the terrorists treated them in a humiliating and harsh manner, and always referred to them as “the soldiers.”

The heinous Hamas group released cruel propaganda of the captives’ release, showing them receiving certificates and smiling at the camera. “Hello, thank you to the al-Qassam Brigades for their good care, the clothes, the food, the drinks and the people who protected us from the bombings,” the girls are heard saying in Arabic. “May today be a good day, the best day, and may we all be well.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)