Palestinian civilians 'negotiated with Hamas to sell me,' former hostage says

• Published date: 10 April 2024
• Author: JERUSALEM POST STAFF
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

"They negotiated with Hamas to sell me. When they were paid, I was taken straight into a tunnel," she said

The 42-year-old from Kibbutz Nir Oz interviewed with the magazine as part of a larger European tour to raise awareness of the Israelis remaining in captivity.

Describing how she was awoken at 6:30 am by rocket sirens, Margalit recounted how there were floods of messages warning her of terrorists in her kibbutz. Less than 3 hours later, Palestinian civilian terrorists set fire to her home and dragged her from her safe room.

"They exploded plates, turned the house upside down, and started a fire," she told the magazine.

After being kidnapped, Margalit described how she was driven into Gaza wrapped in a white sheet. She said that the Palestinian civilian kidnappers were holding Kalashnikov rifles.

After arriving to the border, Margalit said she was transferred to a car and taken to Khan Yunis where she was sold to Hamas.

Margalit said that crowds of civilians cheered and her kidnappers were ecstatic.

Once in Hamas custody, Margalit was taken to a "reception room" in a tunnel where she said she saw approximately 30 fellow hostages - some also from Nir Oz.

The Israeli men had swollen faces and injured legs from...