“Handcuffed, Hungry, Abused…” Freed Israeli Hostages Describe Hamas Captivity in Gaza

On February 1, three Israeli hostages were released from Gaza under a ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas after 484 days in captivity. Keith Siegel, Yarden Bibas, and Ofer Calderon suffered from food shortages, frequent relocations, and constant taunting, doubting their release until the last moment. Bibas endured severe psychological abuse, including false claims about his family’s death. Meanwhile, Siegel was hidden in a room, uncertain about his son’s survival. Mozes, another freed hostage, spent 15 months in isolation, walking 7 km daily in a tiny room. n18oc_crux