The Chilling Truth About How Hamas Treated Hostages

Written by Jack Elbaum

What’s happening: Pictures of Israeli hostages waving, hugging, and/or just looking at Hamas fighters while being released led some to suggest the hostages were treated quite well and may have even fallen in love with their captors. But there’s something more sinister at play.

The issue: A video of a Hamas terrorist telling almost-released hostages to “keep waving” as the cameras are on them demonstrates how the group is using exchange points for propaganda opportunities.

• Hear them out: Good treatment claims ignore what families have actually said about what their relatives went through and their conditions.

The horror: The aunt of 12-year-old Eytan Yahalomi said he was forced to watch videos of Hamas’s October 7 massacre and children were threatened at gunpoint when they cried. Hostages received a bare minimum amount of food, some were held in solitary confinement, and another released hostage said they had to sleep on plastic chairs or on the ground.

• Important: An elderly woman was rushed to the hospital in life-threatening condition after being released because she did not receive proper care while in captivity.

The aftermath: The father of nine-year-old Emily Hand said, “Last night she cried until her face was red and blotchy … She didn’t want any comfort, I guess she’s forgotten how to be comforted … The most shocking, disturbing part of meeting her was she was just whispering … I had to put my ear on her lips. She’d been conditioned not to make any noise.”