The released Israeli hostage, Yoshevid Lifshitz (85 years old), who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and released two weeks later, revealed that she met with the movement's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, during her captivity. She asked him how he could not be ashamed of acting violently towards peace activists like herself. Lifshitz was transferred from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz in Israel to Gaza. She told the Israeli newspaper Davar that she confronted Sinwar when he visited the hostages in an underground tunnel where Hamas was holding them.
Lifshitz told the Hebrew-language newspaper, "Sinwar was with us three or four days after we arrived... I asked him how he could not be ashamed of treating people who have supported peace all these years like this." She added, "He did not answer. He remained silent." Lifshitz's grandson told Reuters that she is a peace activist who, along with her husband, had helped sick Palestinians in Gaza reach hospitals for many years. Her husband, Oded (83 years old), was also kidnapped from their home and is still held captive.
In her remarks to reporters after being released last month from her captivity by Hamas, Lifshitz said she went through "hell" during the two weeks she spent as a hostage in Gaza. She was one of four women released by Hamas at the beginning of the war. She stated that she was beaten when she was kidnapped, but was treated well during her two-week imprisonment. Upon her release, she turned to shake hands with the masked individuals who had held her. When asked why, she responded, "They treated us kindly and met all our needs."
