In an interview aired Wednesday, Sagi advised CBS News associate community BBC News that she was taken by two kidnappers on a motorbike from her dwelling in Kibbutz Nir Oz into Gaza on Oct. 7. She mentioned she was pressured to go away her sneakers behind, and her foot was badly burned by the exhaust pipe of the bike. She mentioned she was put between her two captors on the motorbike, one among whom had a Kalashnikov.
When they obtained into Gaza, she mentioned she was put right into a automobile and advised by her kidnappers that they have been from Islamic Jihad, which, like Hamas, has lengthy been designated as a terrorist group by Israel and the U.S. She mentioned she was knowledgeable that her captors needed to maintain her to make use of in a possible prisoner swap. Sagi and one other feminine hostage have been delivered to a household dwelling the place youngsters lived, the place they got meals and a physician was introduced to have a look at her burn, she mentioned.
HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP by way of Getty Images
“Then we began to listen to the bombs from the Israeli military. I used to be very terrified, as a result of I do know the bombs from the opposite aspect, from Nir Oz, however on this aspect it was very terrifying. All the home was shaking,” Sagi advised the BBC.
The subsequent day, Sagi and the opposite hostage have been moved from the east of Khan Younis to an residence within the heart of the town.
“You really feel it was organized, all of the residence, for hostages. The proprietor of the residence and two guard[s] have been college students that wanted cash. I heard they are saying it is 70 shekel [about $19] for a day. It’s some huge cash in Gaza,” Sagi mentioned. “From the start, the proprietor of the residence mentioned: ‘You are like my mom. You are previous and I take take care of you.’ I did not consider, but it surely was like this as a result of he gave me the medicine for the foot. They attempt to hold us with good well being, however the foot was not okay and I used to be very weak.”
Sagi mentioned that on the forty ninth day of her captivity, she was delivered to the southern metropolis of Rafah for an anticipated prisoner alternate, however there was a delay, so she was introduced again to a hospital in Khan Younis the place she was advised she would spend the night time.
She mentioned there have been “17 individuals from Nir Oz in a number of rooms” being held by militants on the hospital.
“People which are saying that they’re no[t] concerned — they’re concerned. They’re getting cash from Hamas. Our housekeeper’s the identical. He get the cash. And I ask him: ‘You say you aren’t Hamas, you aren’t [Islamic] Jihad. What? You take my freedom, and I’m right here?'” She mentioned the housekeeper responded: “‘I wish to purchase visa for my youngsters and my spouse to exit from Gaza.'”.
“They haven’t any cash. So a lot poverty there,” she advised the BBC.
Sagi mentioned the world’s response to the warfare between Israel and Hamas has made her “loopy.”
“Every time, in each warfare, antisemitism increase her head. But this time, it is worse,” Sagi mentioned. “The world hates us, and I believe they do not know the reality.”
Sagi mentioned her neighborhood has been destroyed.
“It was like Holocaust, however within the Holocaust, we’ve no military. You haven’t any Israel. Now, we’ve Israel,” she mentioned.
Sagi mentioned for a few years she taught Arabic in faculties to advertise peace within the area, however her time as a hostage made her consider the long run she envisioned is now not doable.
“I understood the Hamas don’t desire it. Also, individuals who consider in peace are afraid from Hamas. No likelihood to do one thing with them,” she mentioned. “Israel has to do the deal, what Biden and Bibi saying, to cease the warfare, deliver again dwelling all these hostages who’s alive and who’s lifeless.”
