In a harrowing account of their captivity, Yocheved Lifschitz, one of two hostages released by Hamas, shared her horrifying experience. Lifschitz, who was speaking from a hospital in Tel Aviv, described being kidnapped by Hamas gunmen on motorbikes. She emphasized that her ordeal was beyond anything she could have imagined.

Lifschitz, along with her fellow captives, was subjected to physical violence, being hit with sticks and taken into what she referred to as a "spider's web" of underground tunnels. Inside these tunnels, the group was forced to sleep on mattresses on the tunnel floors.

During their captivity, the hostages were given a meager diet of white cheese and cucumbers, similar to their Hamas captors. While their release brought relief, their husbands are still being held, and the families continue to endure the anguish of separation.

So far, four hostages have been released, but this is just a fraction of the over 200 individuals who were taken captive. The situation remains dire, with ongoing efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

Meanwhile, the conflict in the region has taken a heavy toll, as stated by the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. They report a grim statistic, with 5,000 people killed since October 7, 2023. Of these, more than 1,400 were victims of the Hamas attacks on Israel, a conflict that shows no sign of abating.

The international community watches with concern as efforts to secure the release of all hostages and bring about a peaceful resolution continue.