Noga Weiss, an 18-year-old Israeli woman, who was freed in a hostage exchange last year after spending 50 days in Gaza, disclosed that one of her Hamas captors expressed a desire to marry her and have children with her.
The hostage Hamas terrorist wanted to keep for himself: Noga Weiss, who was released from captivity in Gaza after 50 days, in a moving testimony
pic.twitter.com/5nJ6nP6IJX— Azat Alsalem (@AzzatAlsaalem) April 26, 2024
He even presented her with a ring and informed her that while everyone else would be set free, she would remain in Gaza indefinitely to bear and raise his children.
“He gave me a ring on day 14 [in captivity], and I stayed with him until day 50,” Noga recalled, according to The Times of Israel. “I pretended to laugh, so he wouldn’t shoot me in the head,” she added.
Noga Weiss was at her family’s home in Kibbutz Be’eri when a large group of Hamas-led militants infiltrated Israel on October 7.
“They started shooting at the door, something like 40 shots, until they managed to get in. We saw the conversations on WhatsApp and understood what was happening. People were writing that their house was on fire and then stopped answering.” Noga recalled.
Noga Weiss’s father, Ilan, aged 56, left their home to assist the kibbutz emergency team but tragically did not come back. Subsequently, it was confirmed that he had been killed, and his body was transported to Gaza. Ilan had left his wife and daughter in the secure room of their house.
Noga’s mother implored her to take cover under the bed, believing that the militants, upon seeing her, would harm her but leave Noga unharmed
“I went under the bed, and they came in and took her. After they took her outside, I heard gunshots. I thought she was murdered and not kidnapped,” Noga said.
Shiri, Noga’s mother, was also abducted and taken to Gaza on October 7. After several days, they were reunited. During Noga’s captivity, she was moved between different homes, always wearing a hijab and holding the hand of her captor. This disguise made onlookers assume they were a married couple rather than Israeli hostages.
“They brought cards for us to play with, and I told myself, ‘I’ll play with them and do whatever they want as long as they don’t shoot. Their moods changed so quickly. One minute they played with us and laughed, the next they’d come in with a gun. You always had to please them,” Noga said.
Despite her mother’s disapproval, Noga’s Hamas captor professed his love for her after several days. The idea of being permanently trapped in Gaza with him weighed heavily on her mind.
“People don’t understand the feeling of fear. I was 50 days, 24/7, with the thought that they would get tired of me and just shoot me or that they wouldn’t need me in the end, or that they would shoot us while we slept in the middle of the night,” Noga said.
Later she added, “On the day I was released, when I saw soldiers in IDF uniform, it marked the first time since October 7 that I felt secure. That experience did have an impact.”
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