An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) lookout, Agam Berger, released after 482 days of captivity in Gaza, recounted the experiences she endured while being held by Hamas.
She described how she was “initially terrified” by the IDF bombings of Gaza, saying, “Some of it was terrifying, especially at first, because you’re not used to it. You feel the house shaking, but over time, the fear subsided.”
Berger was moved around by her captors in a bid to conceal her location.
In her captivity, she and fellow hostage Liri Albag were often kept in Palestinian homes, where they had to remain silent when listening to the radio or speaking Hebrew, as their Hamas guards feared their language could be overheard by neighbours.
In a meeting with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, Berger also discussed her connection to Judaism and her efforts to observe Jewish traditions despite the harsh conditions.
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For Passover, despite a lack of traditional foods, Berger asked for cornmeal and dates and created a makeshift Seder with Albag.
The two women also fasted on Tisha B’Av, keeping track of the date via television broadcasts.
On Yom Kippur, they even managed to observe the fast with the help of their captors, who, after some effort, provided them with the correct date.
