Released Israeli soldier says Hamas respected her Jewish traditions, holidays

ANKARA (AA) — An Israeli soldier recently released from the Gaza Strip told media that her Hamas captors allowed her and other prisoners to observe Jewish traditions and holidays, permitting them to practice their religious rituals.

Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth published an interview Wednesday with Agam Berger, who was recently released from Gaza as part of the prisoner swap deal with the Hamas resistance group.

She recalled that she and other captives “were surprised” when their captors provided them with various items, including a Jewish prayer book, known in Hebrew as ‘siddur.’

“We have no idea how it happened, but they simply handed us prayer books,” she said, describing the issue for her as “particularly unusual.”

“It (the prayer book) wasn’t random … it arrived exactly when we needed it most,” Berger said.

Speaking on the Jewish holidays, she said the captives, including herself, “roughly knew the dates” from the radio and segments on television. “That helped us understand when the holidays were.”

While saying that she did not observe all holidays, Berger noted that she managed to observe the Jewish Passover, where her captors brought her “corn flour because that’s what was available.”

During the time of her captivity in Gaza, the Palestinian enclave was experiencing an Israeli genocidal war, and the basic living conditions in Gaza were disrupted, including the severe shortages of food.

Recalling how she observed the Yom Kippur holiday, she said: “We managed to fast, and I remember praying a lot that day.”

“I also fasted on the Fast of Esther. It was something I felt I had to do, especially given our circumstances,” Berger also said.

She described her moments when was informed about her release, saying: “It was an overwhelming moment, I knew I was going to be freed.”

“I don’t know how I would have survived without my faith,” she concluded, and noted: “In the end, that’s what gave me hope.”

Meanwhile, most Palestinians released from Israeli jails, who were interviewed following their release, reported torture, ill-treatment, medical negligence, and deprivation of basic rights inside the Israeli jails, with many of them being hospitalized.

So far, under phase one of the deal between Israel and Hamas, 19 Israeli captives — including Agam Berger — and five Thai workers have been released in exchange for 1,135 Palestinian prisoners.

Another 14 Israelis are expected to be released as part of the deal’s first phase, which includes 33 Israeli captives.

A cease-fire deal has been in place in Gaza since January 19, pausing Israel’s genocidal war that has killed nearly 48,300 Palestinians and left the enclave in ruins.

According to Islam, those belonging to the Jewish faith- alongwith Christians- are ‘People of the Book’ (Ahl ul Kitab), who deserve respect as monotheists from the common Abrahamic tradition.