Israeli women and children who were held captive in Gaza have recently been released, shedding light on their harrowing experiences at the hands of their captors. Since the start of the release process, these survivors have been rushed to hospitals for medical care and support as they try to recover from the trauma they endured during their captivity.

According to the families of the released captives, the women and children were subjected to physical abuse and threats, constantly moved from one location to another, and forced to remain silent for weeks on end. Deborah Cohen, whose 12-year-old nephew Eitan Yahalomi was among those released, shared that the children were beaten by Palestinian residents upon arrival in Gaza and were forced to watch footage of the violence perpetrated by Hamas.

Cohen further explained, "Every time a child cried there, they threatened them with a weapon to make them be quiet. Once they got to Gaza, all the civilians, everyone was hitting them... We're talking about a child, 12 years old."

Hamas, the Palestinian armed group in control of Gaza, claims that they treated the captives in accordance with Islamic teachings, ensuring their safety and well-being. However, the testimonies from the captives' families painted a different picture.

Although the exact number of captives released is not specified, the majority of the 240 individuals who were seized by Hamas during an attack on southern Israel on October 7 are still in captivity. The released captives have been kept away from the media, and their stories have been shared by their families without independent verification.

Relatives of the freed captives, as well as medical professionals treating them, have started to reveal some distressing details. Many of the survivors describe being kept in darkness for extended periods, with only two hours of light provided each day. The children, in particular, were ordered not to make any noise, resulting in them speaking only in whispers upon their return home.

Thomas Hand, the father of nine-year-old Emily Hand, expressed the difficulty of hearing his daughter speak in hushed tones, saying, "You can see the terror in her eyes." Others, like Yair Rotem, reported that his niece, Hila Rotem Shoshani, also whispered and described the heartbreaking moment when the girls were forcibly separated from their mother, who remains in Gaza.

According to Merav Mor Raviv, the captors of her cousin Keren Munder, Keren's nine-year-old son Ohad, and mother Ruth, frequently used Hebrew and would motion across their throats as a threat of death if their instructions were disobeyed. The survivors were constantly moved from place to place, both above and underground, and often suffered from a lack of food, surviving on meager portions of rice and bread.

Despite the horrifying ordeal, there are stories of resilience and strength. Adva Adar recounted how her grandmother, Yaffa Adar, 85, found solace in thoughts of reuniting with her family, giving her the strength to endure. "She said that she was thinking about the family a lot and that it helped her survive and that she could hear the voices of the great-grandchildren calling her and that it gave her a lot of power," Adva shared.

In a surprising turn of events, one Israeli mother, Daniel Aloni, even wrote a letter expressing gratitude to Hamas's armed Qassam Brigades before her release, thanking them for extending kindness and treating her daughter Emilia well during their captivity.

The release of these Israeli women and children has brought to light the dark reality they endured while in captivity. As they begin their journey towards healing and recovery, their stories serve as a reminder of the lasting impact of conflict and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.