After 505 harrowing days in captivity, Omer Shem Tov, Tal Shoham, Eliya Cohen, and Omer Wenkert returned from Israel and recounted the horrors they experienced in the tunnels of Gaza.

The four were held in particularly harsh conditions, suffering from intentional starvation and physical and psychological violence, and were forced to spend long months in complete isolation.

Channel 12 News reported that Eliya Cohen, who was shot in the leg on October 7, did not receive proper medical treatment, and was shackled, causing him deep wounds and severe cuts. For most of his captivity, he was held with Eli Sharabi and Or Levy, who were released earlier this month, and Alon Ohel, who is still in captivity.

They were held in pitch-dark tunnels and starved,  with Cohen losing 66 pounds while in captivity. At times, they were held in cages and both their hands and feet were chained for prolonged periods, causing open cuts. The Hamas terrorists tortured and physically abused them and not only intentionally starved them but also ate in front of them as a form of psychological torture. They couldn’t stand up or walk.

Omer Shem Tov said that at the beginning of his captivity, he was held with Itay Regev, who due to his age (18) was released in the November 2023 deal. After Regev’s release, Omer was left alone for a long time, dealing with complete isolation and disconnection from the outside world.

He lost 37 pounds due to prolonged starvation, was transferred between apartments and tunnels, and during the transitions was forced to disguise himself by dressing as a Muslim woman. When he was transferred to tunnels,  where he spent most of the time, he was lowered there in a bucket. His hands were shackled and his captors spit at him and cursed him.

He tried to keep the mitzvos and when he was able to, made Kiddush with the little he had. At his release ceremony, he was forced to kiss his captors on their heads.

Shem Tov, Tal Shoham, and Omer Wenkert were held together for the last eight months in inhumane conditions, in extremely humid and dark tunnels, where there was no distinction between night or day or the seasons.

Omer told his family that he was severely beaten during his abduction on October 7 from the Nova party at Re’im.

They lost extreme amounts of weight, but in the period leading up to their release, they were “overfed” so they wouldn’t appear emaciated during their release.

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)