12-year-old Eitan Yahalomi reunited with his mother following his release by Hamas
New Delhi:
Twelve-year-old Eitan Yahalomi, held hostage in Gaza for 52 days, was allegedly forced by Hamas to watch the videos of the October 7 attack, his aunt has claimed. Eitan, a French-Israeli national, and his father, Ohad Yahalomi, were abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz. Ohad is still held captive by Hamas.
The schoolboy was pictured hugging his mother, Batsheva, on Monday night, hours after he was released as part of a deal between Israel and Hamas.
During captivity, Eitan and other child hostages faced gunpoint threats when crying, Eitan’s aunt, Dvora Cohen, alleged.
The Hamas terrorists forced him to watch films of the horrors, Ms Cohen told France’s BFM TV, adding that every time a kid cried, they threatened them with a weapon.
She also alleged that the 12-year-old was assaulted by Palestinian civilians upon arriving in Gaza. “When he arrived in Gaza, civilians hit him. He is a 12-year-old child,” Ms Cohen said, adding that she thought Eitan would be well treated. “Apparently not. Those people are monsters,” she said.
This comes after Hamas shared videos of hostages bidding farewell to them. Israel, however, warned that these visuals were part of Psychological warfare.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also reacted to Eitan’s testimony through spokesperson Daniel Hagari. In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Hagari said that Eitan’s testimony demonstrated that Hamas was a cruel, terrorist organisation that didn’t allow the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to check on the hostages.
“It is both our obligation and the world’s moral obligation as humans to insist that the Red Crescent fulfils its responsibility. We will do everything… to bring all of the hostages back home – whether during the ceasefire or through continued combat,” Hagari added.
We will get our hostages back. pic.twitter.com/vtYetMD7aH
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 29, 2023
Among other hostages released by Hamas as part of the swap deal was 78-year-old Ruti Munder, who slept on plastic chairs in a cramped room. Her daughter and grandson, also held hostage for 52 days, faced challenging conditions, including poor food quality. Munder’s husband, Avraham, abducted from Nir Oz, remains a captive.
