DayofPal-An Israeli female soldier recently released in a prisoner exchange deal disclosed that resistance fighters in Gaza had provided her and her fellow captives with a Jewish prayer book while being held in Gaza.
This unexpected gesture allowed them to observe religious rituals and celebrate Passover while in captivity, according to Israeli media.
Speaking to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Wednesday, Agam Berger, an Israeli soldier freed as part of the third phase of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, shared her experience in captivity.
“About a year ago, we were surprised when Hamas fighters gave us various items, including a Jewish prayer book used for daily and holiday prayers,” Berger recounted.
She added, “We don’t know how it happened, but they brought us some religious materials, including the prayer book.” The timing, she emphasized, was particularly significant as it coincided with their need to mark religious observances.
Berger and her fellow captives were able to keep track of Jewish holidays by following radio broadcasts and television programs. During Passover, she abstained from consuming leavened bread and even managed to request cornflour, which was granted by her guards.
The soldier, who was detained from the Israeli military base in Nahal Oz on October 7, 2023, and released on January 30, 2024, also spoke about how Hamas respected religious holidays. She was able to fast on Yom Kippur and the Fast of Esther.
Additionally, Maariv newspaper quoted Berger as saying she maintained the Jewish Sabbath in captivity by refraining from watching television or listening to the radio.
“There was a time when Hamas fighters even brought us candles before Shabbat,” she recalled, referring to the tradition of lighting candles before sunset on Friday.
Berger was released alongside civilian captives Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses from the ruins of Jabalia in northern Gaza, as well as five Thai captives. Her release came just days after four other Israeli female soldiers were freed.
This release was part of a broader ceasefire and prisoners-exchange agreement brokered by Egypt and Qatar with U.S. support. The deal, initiated on January 19, involved three phases, each lasting 42 days, during which negotiations would determine the continuation of subsequent exchanges.
Berger’s testimony provides a rare glimpse into the conditions of Israeli captives in Gaza. This has a reflection on today’s handover in Nuseirat, where a released Israeli captive kissed the forehead of two Al-Qassam fighters after handing him a certificate of release.
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