On February 8, 2025, after over 14 (490 days) months in Hamas captivity, three Israeli hostages—Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi, and Or Levy—were released in the Wings of Freedom deal. Their return should have been a moment of relief, but what they endured in Hamas’ underground dungeons has shaken Israel and the world to its core. Their harrowing testimonies paint a picture of unrelenting cruelty, psychological torment, and inhumane conditions, far worse than many had feared. These hostages, who once led normal lives, were subjected to torture, starvation, suffocation, physical beatings, and psychological abuse—all at the hands of the terrorists who orchestrated the October 7, 2023, massacre.
For months, they were kept bound in chains, unable to walk or move freely. One of the former hostages, choosing to remain anonymous, lost the ability to walk entirely due to prolonged physical restraints. Only shortly before his release was he given the chance to stand and relearn how to move, a cruel reminder that Hamas viewed them as nothing more than bargaining chips in their twisted war against Israel. Another freed hostage recounted how they were hung upside down by their legs, an act of pure sadism that left them screaming in agony. They were also burned with hot objects, subjected to suffocation until they lost consciousness, and beaten repeatedly, all while being denied medical attention.
Perhaps most horrifying of all, the hostages were deliberately starved. According to their testimonies, Hamas followed a directive from its leader Yahya Sinwar, which specifically ordered that male hostages be deprived of food. The freed men described long periods without any nourishment, their bodies wasting away as their captors taunted them with food they were never allowed to eat. When they were fed, it was a single rotten pita, which they had to divide among themselves. Access to water was also rare—so much so that they sometimes went days without drinking anything, their bodies pushed to the brink of collapse. One of the hostages fell unconscious from starvation and abuse, and for a time, the others believed he was dead.
The hostages were kept in cramped, suffocating tunnels with no sunlight, no fresh air, and no ability to stand or walk. Or Levy described the nightmare of living in a tunnel so narrow and low that movement was nearly impossible. Hamas guards played twisted psychological games, frequently telling the hostages, “You’re about to be released”—only to laugh in their faces and keep them imprisoned. Every moment was designed to crush their spirits, break their bodies, and instill a fear that would never fade.
Before their release, Hamas forced them to take part in a staged military ceremony, a propaganda stunt meant to humiliate them and serve the terrorists’ political agenda. They were forced to make statements dictated by their captors, knowing that any refusal or hesitation could result in further torture.
These testimonies lay bare the true evil of Hamas—a terrorist organization that does not merely seek Israel’s destruction but thrives on inflicting suffering, humiliation, and death. The world must wake up to the reality of Hamas’ inhumanity. These freed hostages are the lucky ones; over 70 Israeli men, women, and children remain trapped in Hamas’ tunnels, enduring the same nightmarish conditions. Israel cannot—and will not—rest until every last hostage is returned home.
