Relatives report the “horrible experiences” of the boy now freed into the hands of Hamas. The 12-year-old boy is said to have spent several days alone in a closed room.
Following the release of a 12-year-old French hostage by Islamist Hamas, the boy’s aunt reported that he was forced to watch videos of the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. The boy “went through terrible things” at the hands of Hamas, his aunt told broadcaster BFMTV on Tuesday. “Every time a child cried, they threatened him with a gun to keep him quiet,” said the aunt.
“When he arrived in Gaza, all the civilians, everyone, beat him. We are talking about a 12-year-old child.” The boy was released on Monday night with two other French children aged 12 and 16 and eight other hostages. “Yesterday we were so happy (…), but now that I know I’m worried about that,” says the aunt. “I don’t know who can do something like that.” She hopes the boy can overcome what he went through with care and help.
16 days alone in a closed room
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz also quoted his grandmother as saying that the boy had to spend the first 16 days of captivity alone in a closed room. She finds it difficult to talk about what her grandson went through. The 12-year-old boy was later with other hostages. (APA/dpa)