Or Levy was held captive in a tunnel under Gaza for nearly 500 days. His brother Michael described how the Hamas captors ate well while Levy starved, often watching as they devoured chicken and meat. Levy himself suffered from extreme hunger and thirst, rarely getting clean drinking water, and was subjected to “the most horrific conditions” without natural light or a chance to stand up straight.
Levy’s family had grown worried about his fate after he was captured during an attack on southern Israel in October 2023. Einav, Levy’s wife, was killed during the rampage, but Or did not know this until his release 16 months later.
Levy and fellow hostages were paraded before Hamas leaders as a propaganda tool, with their appearances broadcast to the public. The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed concern about these releases, calling for more dignified and private arrangements in the future.
Other recently released Israeli hostages have spoken out against the psychological torture inflicted on them during captivity. A female soldier described being forced to record videos saying “thank you” while wearing a hijab, highlighting the dehumanizing nature of her experience.
These revelations raise concerns about the treatment of Israeli captives held by Hamas and the impact it has on their physical and mental well-being.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/26/europe/or-levy-israel-hostage-hamas-gaza-starve-intl/index.html