Israeli activist Yochvid Lifshitz
After being among the first Israeli prisoners released by Hamas from Gaza, Israeli activist Yochvid Lifshitz, 85, confirmed that he had met the movement’s leader, Yahya Sinwar.
During his participation in a demonstration in support of the prisoners yesterday, Tuesday, in Tel Aviv, Lifshitz said that he met Sinwar face to face when he visited the detainees in one of the Gaza tunnels, where Hamas took them, 3 or 4 days after their capture.
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“How can you not be ashamed?”
“Sinwar visited us three or four days after we arrived and I asked him how he could not be ashamed of doing something like this to people who have supported peace all these years,” he told the Hebrew-language newspaper Davar.
The Israeli peace activist also said Sinwar did not respond to her, but remained silent.
Yahya Al-Sanwar
According to the Haaretz newspaper, Sinwar met with some Israeli prisoners the day after their capture from Kibbutz Nir Oz in the Gaza Strip.
The Hamas leader, who was with his brother Mohammed, a leading figure in the movement’s armed wing, told the hostages that “they will not suffer any harm and will be returned to Israel as part of an exchange agreement” in the future.
Interestingly, Lifshitz, released on October 23, caused a stir in Israel after she shook hands with a member of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, during her handover at the Red Cross before her release. She also confirmed at the time that “the treatment of her captors was good,” noting that they provided the prisoners with food and clothing and treated the wounded.
Israeli activist Yochvid Lifshitz with her husband
However, at the same time, she described a journey that took her from the Gaza border to the tunnels, which was like hell.
Her husband is still detained by Hamas, especially since the prisoner exchange agreement has so far been limited only to Israeli and Palestinian women and children.
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