Hamas released two elderly Israeli hostages, including 85-year-old Yushvid Lefebvre, who had been held captive in Gaza.
This release has garnered international attention. Yushvid Lefebvre shared her harrowing experience at a press conference in Tel Aviv, where she was accompanied by her daughter.
She described being abducted from her house by Hamas gunmen on October 7 and transported to Gaza on a motorcycle, during which she suffered injuries and breathing difficulties.
Following her release, Yushvid Lefebvre was admitted to a Tel Aviv hospital for treatment. She explained the conditions she and her fellow hostages endured in captivity, including sleeping on mattresses in an underground tunnel in Gaza, being provided with white cheese and cucumbers for food, and sharing the space with 24 other people.
“There were people who took care of all our needs. They made sure that we were clean and eat. They gave us bread and hard cheese and cucumbers and they themselves ate the same food. The captors told us that they were muslims and will not hurt anyone,” Yushvid Lefebvre told the press.
Despite the circumstances, she mentioned that their captors showed some level of care, including addressing women’s gynaecological needs.
Yushvid Lefebvre’s liberation was captured in an 11-second video released by Hamas, showing her leaving with Red Cross personnel and sharing a handshake with one of the Hamas fighters.
Notably, Israel confirmed that 222 civilians were held hostage by Hamas, with two elderly women, including Yushvid Lefebvre, being among the first to be released. Israel expressed its gratitude to Egypt and the Red Cross for their roles in the hostages’ release.
Meanwhile, Hamas claims to have released the hostages due to a humanitarian emergency in Gaza, citing health concerns amid Israeli attacks.