‘Yahel only whispers, too afraid to make a noise,’ says freed grandmother

Shoshan Haran, her daughter and two grandchildren were taken hostage by Hamas militants in Israel on October 7, 2023,

On Thursday, Haran recalled the effects of 50 days in captivity on her three-year-old granddaughter when they were finally released.

“Three weeks after we were released, Yahel only whispers, too afraid to make a noise. She hid from everyone, too afraid to go outside. She wet the bed and had nightmares, too afraid she may be captured again,” Haran told an informal UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, convened by the US.

“We cannot allow the normalisation of this unprecedented form of terrorism – mass hostage taking of unarmed civilians, women, children, elderly," said Haran, now 68, the founder of farming and food security charity Fair Planet.

“What you see as our problem today might become a worldwide problem to each and every country near future,” she said.

In three resolutions, the UN Security Council has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

Israel is retaliating against Hamas in Gaza over the October 7 attack. Gaza health authorities say Israel has killed more than 35 000 people in Gaza since then.

“Unfortunately, in the occupied Palestinian territories, we see the barbaric killing machine of the Israeli occupier wreaking havoc in Gaza under the pretext of ensuring the release of the hostages,” said Algerian diplomat Ahmed Sahraoui.

He said the issue of hostage-taking was of “paramount importance” and criticised Israel for detaining Palestinians.

The Palestinian Prisoners Association says at least 9 100 Palestinians are detained in Israel.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan told the meeting that 132 hostages were being held in Gaza and that it was the “first meeting being held by any UN body to focus on their suffering and ways to release them”.

“The hostages are the most urgent and critical humanitarian issue that the council must focus on,” Erdan told the meeting.

“Has the council condemned Hamas and demanded they permit the Red Cross to check on the hostages? Have you imposed sanctions on Hamas leadership until they release the hostages? What action has been taken?” he said.

Reuters