In a shocking revelation, Israeli lawyer Amit Soussana has come forward as the first Israeli hostage to publicly speak about the abuse she endured during her 55-day captivity by Hamas. Soussana’s ordeal began shortly after she was taken prisoner in Hamas’ deadly attack and invasion of Israel on October 7. The lawyer, who was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Azza, located near the Gaza border, was subjected to routine beatings and sexual assaults by her captors.
According to Soussana, her captor, identified only as “Muhammad,” began harassing her from the moment she was brought to her makeshift jail. He would frequently enter her room in his underwear, asking intrusive questions about her sex life and offering to massage her body. Muhammad’s abuse escalated when he forced her to shower and then dragged her into a children’s bedroom, where he sexually assaulted her at gunpoint.
Soussana’s attempts to fend off the abuse by lying about her menstrual cycle were met with persistent inquiries from Muhammad. On the day of the assault, he insisted she take a shower despite her protests about the cold water. When she turned around, she found him standing there with a gun. He proceeded to drag her into the child’s bedroom, where the sexual assault took place.
After the assault, Muhammad showed remorse and begged Soussana not to report the incident to Israel. However, he retaliated when she refused his attempts at reconciliation. Soussana was moved to several other hideouts, enduring beatings by different guards during her captivity. She was finally released on November 30, along with 105 other hostages, during a cease-fire.
Upon her return, Soussana reported the sexual assaults and has remained consistent in her accounts of the abuse. She suffered multiple injuries, including fractures in her eye socket, cheek, knee, and nose, as well as severe bruising on her knee and back.
Hamas spokesman Basem Naim attempted to cast doubt on Soussana’s claims, suggesting they may have been fabricated by security officers. However, a recent United Nations report supports the existence of sexual violence against hostages held by Hamas.
