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Hamas told female hostages they would be forced into marriages, would not leave Gaza alive

Despite the horrific treatment, Liri Albag conveyed a humorous message to her sister, ‘Tell my sister not to touch my shoes.’

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The accounts of rescued and released female hostages are shedding light on the treatment of Israeli women who Hamas still holds in Gaza.

In an interview, Shai Albag discussed what she learned about her sister Liri Albag’s ordeal as a captive in Gaza.

“The kidnappers subjected my sister to extreme psychological terror,” Shai Albag said.

She reported the terrorists often would try to break the hostages’ spirits and say, “You will stay here forever [in Gaza], you will marry here [with Gazans], you are soldiers, they won’t release you alive.”

Despite the horrific treatment, Shai reported that her sister managed to convey messages, sometimes humorous, through female hostages who had returned to Israel.

Shai said Liri’s message was, “Tell my sister not to cancel her post-army trip.”

She added, “Tell my sister not to touch my shoes,’ because she knew I loved them and would ruin them.’”

Shortly after Noa Argamani was rescued along with three other hostages, the Albag family learned of Liri’s treatment in Gaza.

Her mother, Shiri Albag, said in an interview, “Noa said that they were slaves, and so were the observers, Liri among them.”

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She added, “They cleaned their yard, did dishes, and prepared food they couldn’t eat. Liri was in a luxury villa; they let her shower after a month.”

“After 40 days, they took her down to the tunnels. It’s much worse. There is only salt water and not much food. No clothes to change into,” she added.

Shira Albag explained, “I know this from the women who returned after 50 days. Some 200 days have passed since then, and they have not seen the light of day.”

“They have not seen their mothers and fathers. The freed hostages told us that the young girls cried on the 50th day, saying they missed their mothers,” she said.

“I don’t want to imagine what they are going through now,” Albag concluded.