Shoshan Haran, a released Israeli hostage, spoke to an Israeli soldier after her arrival in Israel.
Jerusalem:
Shoshan Haran, her daughter and two grandchildren were taken hostage by Hamas militants in Israel on October 7. On Thursday, Haran recalled the impact of 50 days in captivity on her three-year-old granddaughter when they were finally released.
“Three weeks after we were released, Yahel just whispered, too afraid to make a sound. She hid from everyone, too afraid to go outside. She wet the bed and had nightmares, too afraid she would be captured again taken,” Haran told an informal meeting of the UN Security Council, convened by the United States, was held on Thursday.
According to Israeli figures, Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages.
The US focused the meeting on “condemning the October 7 hostage taking in Israel as a psychological tool of terrorism.”
Ayelet Samerano, whose son was killed on October 7 and his body taken by Hamas, and Gili Roman, whose sister was taken hostage and released in November, also addressed the meeting.
“We cannot allow the normalization of this unprecedented form of terrorism – the mass hostage-taking of unarmed civilians, women, children and the elderly,” said Haran, now 68, founder of the agriculture and food safety charity Fair Planet.
“What you see as our problem today could become a global problem for every country in the near future,” she said.
In three resolutions, the UN Security Council has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
“Yet Hamas and other terrorist groups have not relented. So today, let us demand again that Hamas release all remaining hostages,” said US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield. “To put it simply, it would save lives on all sides.”
HOSTAGE FOCUS
Israel takes revenge on Hamas in Gaza for the October 7 attack. Gaza health authorities say Israel has since killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza.
“Unfortunately, in the occupied Palestinian territories, we see that the barbaric killing machine of the Israeli occupier is wreaking havoc in Gaza under the pretext of securing the release of the hostages,” said Algerian diplomat Ahmed Sahraoui.
He said the hostage issue was of “great importance” and criticized Israel for detaining Palestinians.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners' Association, there are at least 9,100 Palestinians incarcerated in Israel. This does not apply to those arrested in Gaza since October 7. The Israeli military says it acts in accordance with Israeli and international law and that those it arrests are given access to food, water, medicine and proper clothing.
Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan told the meeting that 132 hostages captured on October 7 were still being held in Gaza and that this was the “first meeting held by a UN body to focus on their suffering and ways to release them.”
“The hostages are the most urgent and critical humanitarian issue that the council should focus on,” Erdan said at the meeting.
“Has the council condemned Hamas and demanded that they allow the Red Cross to monitor the hostages? Have you imposed sanctions on Hamas leaders until they release the hostages? What action has been taken?” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Our staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)