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505 Days in Hamas Captivity: A Former Hostage Speaks Out

(Wall Street Journal) Anat Peled - Eight months into Omer Wenkert's captivity in Gaza, one of his guards turned violent. He opened the door to the underground concrete dungeon where Wenkert, 22, was being held - less than 6 feet tall and around 3 feet wide - and kicked Wenkert three times in his head and twice in his back. He told Wenkert it was punishment for looking at him. The next day, his captor demanded he do push-ups, sit-ups and squats - what felt like hundreds, he said. At some point, Wenkert collapsed from exhaustion. His captor spit on him and began screaming insults. "Say you are a son of a bitch, say you are a dog." After Wenkert thought he was finally alone, he lifted his head, only to realize the guard was still there. "Why are you looking at me?" his captor screamed, as he brought a crowbar down on Wenkert's head, shoulders and legs. The recently released hostages have just begun telling their stories - about being held underground with no light or fresh air; being held in chains with no medical treatment for the wounds they suffered on Oct. 7; being subject to starvation, beatings and humiliation. Many of the male hostages in particular emerged looking like a shell of their former selves. When Wenkert returned to Israel in February, he had lost more than 80 pounds. Wenkert was kidnapped from the Nova music festival near the Gaza border. He ran into a mobile bomb shelter along the road along with about 40 others. Only 12 would emerge alive. Palestinians started to throw grenades into the packed shelter. Wenkert covered himself with dead bodies. Then the Palestinians started pouring in gasoline and set it on fire. Wenkert climbed out from under the bodies and ran through the fire. The Palestinians were waiting for him. In Gaza, he was taken underground into Hamas tunnels. He wouldn't come out for 505 days.
2025-03-30 00:00:00
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