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In November 2023, in the first and so far only release of hostages by Hamas, Ofir Engel, then 18, was handed over to the Israelis by the terrorists. Now he has at long last been recounting what he endured at the hands of his captors. You can find more of his riveting testimony here: “‘Animals at a zoo’: Released hostage describes terrorists bringing civilians to observe him,” Jerusalem Post, November 22, 2024:
Released hostage Ofir Engel revealed the mistreatment and abuse Hamas terrorists subjected him and his girlfriend’s family to on Oct.7 and as captives in Gaza in an interview with the Jewish News Syndicate published on Thursday.
The now-19-year-old Engel was abducted from Kibbutz Beeri on Oct.7, where he was observing Simchat Torah with his girlfriend Yuval Sharabi and her family. They were sleeping at 6:30 in the morning when rocket sirens woke them. He was 17 at the time Hamas abducted him.
“But the [sirens] didn’t stop,” Engel told JNS. “After two-and-a-half hours, friends started sending scary messages about hearing terrorists outside their houses and pleading for the army to arrive.”
Slowly realizing the seriousness of the situation, Engel read of the news of the invading terrorists – learning of the ongoing massacre from survivors and witnesses. The terrorists would soon make their way to the Sharabi home.
“After six hours, we heard a large ‘boom’ coming from the entrance to the house. We heard terrorists roaming around inside while we were still all in the safe room,” he recalled. “A few minutes later, they tried opening the door to the room. Yuval’s dad, Yossi, was holding it closed. But he wasn’t able to overcome the three terrorists pushing it open.”
When the terrorists eventually forced their entry into the safe room, Engel said the first thing they did was shoot the family’s dog.
“They entered armed. The first thing they did was shoot Yuval’s dog. They then pointed their guns at us,” he described. “They made us sit outside on the grass with the neighbors, the Shani family. Smoke was everywhere, as was the smell of gunpowder.”…
Was the dog shot because its barking might have alerted other Israelis of an attack in progress? Not likely, because the sound of the gunshot would have been even more of a warning. And besides, the terrorists had the kibbutz surrounded. Most likely, they were merely expressing their Muslim hatred of dogs, that derives from a hadith in which Muhammad says he will not enter a house where “there are dogs or images of a living soul.”
They were put on display by the terrorists, so that some of those “innocent” civilians whose travails we hear so much about could come and look and laugh delightedly at the young and old Zionist captives in their immense distress, “like animals in a zoo.” Their malignant glee should remind us of the Gazan civilians who came out to see the Israeli captives when they were first being brought into Gaza, dumped on the back of lorries, or slung over motorcycles — with the girl captives often half-naked — and to hit them with their fists and sticks as they passed slowly by.
For 26 days, Engel remained hostage in that home – needing to ask permission to go to the bathroom, and not being allowed to stand.
If the captives were not allowed to stand, I assume they had to crawl on all fours to and from the bathroom. But perhaps Ofir Engel’s “bathroom” was like that of other released captives who have testified — not a room, but a bucket shared by all the captives.
At least Engel had food, albeit very little. Many of the captives were being slowly starved to death. When the body of Eden Yerushalmi was returned, she weighed only 79 pounds.
The threat of death — and the actual deaths of hostages who were executed — was always in the air; every captive was made to feel that he, or she, could be next. As we know, about half of the 100-odd hostages that Hamas is supposed to be holding have already been murdered. Among them was Yossi Shalabi, the father of Ofir Engel’s girlfriend.
Taking Hostages should be Punishible by a Life in Prison without Parole Plea Bargain and early releaase
They need to be treated in the same manner as they did to the hostages with the exception of a quick death …. death should come very, very slowly and with the most agony as possible. Burial should be crusader-style …. with a pig carcass.
No death. Death long and slow and by specially trained dogs. Good boy!
and the west still defend ” the innocent civilians ” that inhabit gaza . there are NONE . death is what they wish for . oblige them at every opportunity wherever and whenever possible . grind them to dust . while they are still breathing they will curse the jew first and then the infidel . they have a death wish . grant it to them . the turks did it to the armenians , time to repay the debt .
Very sorry to hear what Ofir went through. Though I am not surprised, as I have not forgotten what happened to young Ilan Halimi in France.
Hatred and division seems on the rise everywhere. So what is the answer? More hatred, and more violence? Or could we listen to our loving Creator, the God of Abraham, instead. It is only the Kingdom of God, the heavenly government, that is going to restore the link so fatally broken in Eden.
And already that Kingdom is teaching millions of us – “from every tribe and tongue and nation” – to live in peace as the brothers and sisters we truly are.
I hope that those hostages who have been murdered, and especially young Ilan, are sleeping safe in God’s memory, held safe in “the everlasting arms”, and have a wonderful awakening ahead of them when the time comes.
What? Hug a Muslim? Turn the other cheek? Yours is a godless recipe for more slaughter of his chosen people. How cruel you are. Vicious! Find a mirror. And this time, turn on the light.
Hello Cat, But isn’t it a question of what sort of world we are living in? If we are living in the Darwinian world of Evolution, of nature being “red in tooth and claw”, and the strong surviving and the weak going to the wall, then by all means we need to be as tough and ruthless as possible. And given my age, I need to bow out, as Evolution can have no further use for me. (And as for “looking in the mirror”, no thank you. I don’t know what has happened to mirrors, but they gave a much better reflection 30 years ago.)
Or are we living in the world that the Inspired Scriptures explain to us, a ruined paradise, but one that is going to be restored earthwide and one that we can live in joyfully forever?
Only if the writers of the Inspired Scriptures are telling us the truth, as I believe, isn’t it very important that we pay attention to what they say?
Those who attacked and murdered their Jewish neighbours on October 7th were not listening. Had they been, how could it have happened?
I would love to know what you think about the advice in Psalm 37? I find it more helpful than I can say.
Another reason to know your enemy and stay well armed.
I’ve often wondered what the effect would be if every “holy place” of Islam were annihilated, and every mosque bulldozed and every Islamic writing burned. Would this convince all of Islam that Allah does not exist, or “it” would have prevented this destruction from occurring?