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Amit Soussana has develop into the primary Israeli lady to talk publicly about enduring what she says was a sexual assault and different types of violence throughout her 55 days in captivity following the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, in accordance with reporting by The New York Occasions on Tuesday.
Kidnapped from her residence by at the least 10 males, Soussana stated she was subjected to a horrifying collection of occasions that noticed her crushed and dragged into Gaza. The main points of Soussana’s captivity paint a grim image of her struggling; from being locked alone and chained by her ankle to being pressured into performing sexual acts below the specter of a gun, in accordance with The New York Occasions.
Soussana, a lawyer, was launched in late November of 2023 as a part of an trade of hostages in Gaza who had been kidnapped in the course of the Hamas assault for Palestinian prisoners.
“Amit Soussana’s brave testimony detailing her horrific captivity is one in every of many harrowing accounts from hostages held by Hamas,” the Hostages Households Discussion board stated in a press release.
It added, “Amit is a hero, as are all hostages enduring this residing hell for 172 agonizing days. We should convey these courageous ladies and men residence earlier than it’s too late.”
Soussana’s eight hours of interviews with The New York Occasions make clear the psychological and bodily torment she stated she skilled by the hands of her captors, providing in depth particulars of her ordeal throughout a number of places in Gaza, together with in non-public houses and a subterranean tunnel.
A number of days into her captivity, she stated, her guard started asking about her intercourse life.
Soussana stated she was held alone in a toddler’s bed room, chained by her left ankle. Generally, the guard would enter, sit beside her on the mattress, carry her shirt and contact her, she advised The New York Occasions.
Soussana added that the guard repeatedly requested when her interval was due. When her interval ended, round Oct. 18, she tried to place him off by pretending that she was bleeding for practically per week.
Round October 24, the guard, who referred to as himself Muhammad, attacked her, she stated.
Early that morning, she stated, Muhammad unlocked her chain and left her within the toilet. After she undressed and started washing herself within the bathtub, Muhammad returned and stood within the doorway, holding a pistol.
“He got here in the direction of me and shoved the gun at my brow,” Soussana recalled. After hitting Soussana and forcing her to take away her towel, “Muhammad groped her, sat her on the sting of the tub and hit her once more,” The New York Occasions reported, citing Soussana.
Dr. Ayelet Levy Shachar, mom of 19-year-old hostage Naama Levy, who was captured on video being dragged by her hair from the again of a Jeep at gunpoint in Gaza, her sweatpants stained with blood stated, “Amit’s horrifying testimony is extra proof that our family members in Gaza endure bodily, sexual, and psychological torture each single day. Every day there may be like an eternity.”
She stated what occurred to Amit “is identical nightmare so many different hostages, ladies and men, are going through daily in captivity. Possibly even at this very second. We’re begging – their lives dangle within the steadiness. Deliver our daughters and all our family members again to us now – earlier than it’s too late”.
Earlier in March, the United Nations revealed a report indicating that rape and gang rape, amongst different acts of sexual violence, possible occurred in the course of the October 7 Hamas assault and stated there was “clear and convincing” proof that hostages had been raped whereas being held in Gaza, and that these at present held captive are nonetheless going through such abuse.
Hamas official Basem Naim denied the UN report of sexual assaults in an interview with CNN earlier this month.
On Tuesday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated that Soussana “speaks for all those that can’t communicate. She speaks for all of the victims of Hamas’ despicable sexual crimes and abuse. She speaks for all girls all over the place,” in accordance with a submit on his X account commenting on The New York Occasions’ article.
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