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Yocheved Lifschitz, an 85-year-old Israeli woman, has been released by Hamas after her abduction on October 7th. Recounting her experience, she described how she was loaded onto a motorcycle sideways to prevent her from falling.
Two terrorists held her, one from the front and the other from behind, as they crossed the border fence into the Gaza Strip. She was initially held in the town of Abesan near Beeri, though she couldn't pinpoint her subsequent location due to her bedridden state.
Hamas posted a video on its Telegram page showing Lifschitz being handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who facilitated her transport out of Gaza.
In the video, masked extremists offered tea to the two women. Before leaving, Lifschitz shook hands with one of the gunmen, expressing "salam," peace in Arabic.
Yocheved Lifschitz and her husband, 83-year-old Oded, were known as lifelong activists. Their grandson noted that they were dedicated to helping sick Palestinians, describing them as human rights and peace activists.
For over a decade, they transported Palestinian patients from the Gaza Strip to Israeli hospitals for treatment, particularly for conditions like cancer.
Despite Yocheved Lifschitz's release, her husband, Oded, remains missing. Their daughter, Sharon, expressed hope that he is being cared for, as he knows Arabic and has connections in Gaza.
Both Yocheved and Oded Lifschitz hail from kibbutz Nir Oz and are the third and fourth individuals to be released by Hamas.
[With information sourced from Reuters]