Much has been written about the shameful betrayal of Israeli women by their “sistas” around the globe, the majority of whom have remained silent about the “sexualized torture” that they were subjected to on October 7.Women’s groups, including UN Women, have compounded this suffering by their silence, some even calling for evidence to back up claims of the rape and sexual abuse that Hamas denies. Tragically, many of Hamas’s victims were murdered on October 7 or are still in Gaza where they remain hostage.
Only recently, after four long months, did UN envoy Pramila Patten visit Israel to focus on “sexual violence in conflict.” The ensuing report confirmed that “sexual violence, including genital mutilation, sexualized torture, or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” was carried out during the October 7 attacks.
However, even now, with confirmation by an international organization of such atrocities against women having occurred, the world remains silent. The ongoing plight of Israeli women, including the female hostages also cited in the report as having been subjected to “sexualized torture” remains a side issue at best, even today, on International Women’s Day.
Fighting for those still in Gaza
As far as we know, 14 young female hostages remain alive in captivity in Gaza. Each one is a much-loved daughter, sister, granddaughter, and friend. Those left behind have lived in a permanent state of hell since October with almost no news about their loved ones’ ongoing ordeal – save for reports such as the one above, which confirms that they are likely suffering unspeakable cruelty at the hands of their captors.
Today, on International Women’s Day, I look past the names to find out a bit about each woman, whose whereabouts have remained unknown since their brutal kidnap on October 7.
LIRI ALBAG, the youngest female hostage, turned 19 in captivity. Initially, her mother, Shira, thought Lili had ended up in hospital as a result of the rocket barrage from which she was sheltering. It wasn’t until her daughter’s boyfriend showed her a Telegram video posted by Hamas, showing Liri being kidnapped, that she realized her daughter had been taken.
Daniella Gilboa, 19, captured by Hamas terrorists was identified by her clothing when she appeared in a Hamas video later that day, bloodied, disheveled, and scared. Although her whereabouts are unknown, her mother hasn’t given up hope: “I picture her walking in the door and coming home.”
Naama Levy, 19, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors is perhaps one of the more recognizable of all hostages. She appeared barefoot in a Hamas video with her hands bound, wearing bloodied sweatpants, and being pulled out by her hair from the back of a black pickup truck and then pushed into the back seat.
Although this harrowing video has gone viral, worldwide calls for her release haven’t, and she remains in captivity.
Karina Ariev, 19, was captured early in the morning. Her parents spoke to her at 7 a.m. as she came under a barrage of rockets and terrorist gunfire. “She screamed and said she loves us very much [and to] continue our lives,” said her mother. By 7:40 a.m., Karina’s parents had lost all communication with her. They later saw her, bleeding from a facial wound, in a Hamas video on Telegram, in which three young women are lying down in a jeep, surrounded by men speaking in Arabic.
Agam “Gigi” Berger, 20, a talented violinist was captured in her pajamas. That morning, she called her father, Shlomi, and told him she was under fire. She was later identified in a Hamas Telegram video, in which she is seen being led to a car.
Twenty-six-year-old Noa Argamani is another familiar face in this horrific saga. Having been abducted from the Supernova Sukkot Gathering music festival, she appeared in a video on the back of a motorcycle screaming “Don’t kill me!” It has been suggested that she was abducted not by Hamas, but by a mob of Palestinian civilians.
Romi Gonen, 26, was shot while attempting to escape from Nova by car. “They shot me, Mom and I’m bleeding,” Romi told her mother. “Everyone in the car is bleeding.” When the car was later found, it was empty. Romi’s phone was traced to Gaza.
Arbel Yehud, 28, was taken with her boyfriend, Ariel Cunio, from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her brother, Dolev Yehud, was also taken from the kibbutz where the siblings were the third generation of their family to live on the kibbutz.
Carmel Gat, 39, an occupational therapist from Tel Aviv, was visiting her parents in Kibbutz Be’eri when Hamas terrorists attacked, killing her mother.
She was taken captive along with her brother, Alon, sister-in-law Yarden Roman-Gat, and niece, Geffen. Alon and Geffen managed to escape and Yarden was released in the November hostage exchange. While Carmel’s whereabouts are unknown, some of the released hostages claim to have seen her.
TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD PILATES teacher, Eden Yerushalmi, was also abducted from the festival. Initially, Eden hid in a car, alongside the bodies of murdered friends.
Fearful of being caught, she then escaped to a forest where she hid in a bush for hours. All the while, Eden remained in contact with Shani, her sister, who heard the terrorists approaching. “I could hear them through the phone,” Shani recounted. “I knew that those were my last moments with my sister.” Finally, Eden whispered, “They caught me.”
Veterinary nurse Doron Steinbrecher, 30, was abducted from her Kibbutz Kfar Aza home after telling her parents, who also lived on the kibbutz, that she was afraid, as the terrorists had come to her house. Her last words to her friends were: “They’ve arrived, they have me.”
Shiri Bibas was captured along with her red-headed babies, Ariel, four, and Kfir, then nine months old, from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her husband, Yarden, was also taken hostage, and her parents were killed by the Hamas terrorists. Shiri and her babies have become a symbol of October 7, the image of the three of them being captured is shared far and wide.
Fashion stylist Amit Buskila, who turned 28 in captivity, was abducted from the Supernova music festival. She was on the phone with her Uncle Shimon at the time of the attack, hiding between cars as the terrorists approached. Shimon heard her pleading with her attackers: “No, no, no,” before she weakly uttered, “I love you,” as gunshots and shouting in Arabic brought the conversation to an abrupt end and the line went dead.
Emily Damari, 27, was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. According to friend and neighbor Bar Kislev, she was abducted in her car along with twins Gali and Ziv Berman. Damari was seen by released hostage Dafna Elyakim in Hamas’s underground tunnels along with Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Romy Gonen, and Agam Berger.
The widespread indifference to the plight of these women is a stain on humanity: “These women cannot survive another moment of this horror,” says Israeli actress, Gal Gadot.
Let’s hope the world wakes up to this horror before it’s too late.
The writer is a former lawyer from Manchester, England who now lives in Israel and works as a freelance writer.