‘Humiliation & violence’: Hamas took revenge on Israeli hostages, Omer Wenkert reveals about captivity

After being released from captivity on Feb. 22 and returning home to Israel, Omer Wenkert gave a first detailed interview talking about his kidnapping and his time in the Hamas tunnels this week.

Speaking to Keshet News, Wenkert revealed the horrific physical and psychological abuse he and his fellow hostages suffered at the hands of the terrorists.

According to his family, 22-year-old Wenkert is a joyful, charismatic man with a large network of friends. “Omer’s profound love for the culinary arts is where his heart truly belongs,” his family said.

On Oct. 7, he and his girlfriend Kim Damti, who was murdered by Hamas, spontaneously attended the Nova rave festival in Re’im. They were among the dozens of partygoers who crammed inside a bomb shelter when Hamas terrorists started lobbing grenades inside.

Wenkert survived by hiding underneath a pile of bodies. Eventually, he lost hope he would survive and made peace with death, before going outside.

“If I’m dying, I’m dying outside, on my feet… I had a moment of what you would call ‘self-respect.’ I said I’m coming to terms with death, I’m ready for it, I’m going out now toward what I consider a sure death, and I accept it and want it.”

Instead, he was beaten, bound, and taken into the Gaza Strip where he was beaten again by a mob of civilians celebrating Hamas’s actions. “With bricks, rods, sticks – with everything they could hit me with. Three-year-old children on their father's shoulders beat me,” he said.

Hamas terrorists then took him into a tunnel, where he was held together with Thai hostages and Liam Or, who was released in the first hostage deal.

“Most of the time there was very little food, three dates in the morning, half a pita in the evening. Half a liter of water for two people for the whole day, for 24 hours. Sometimes a little more because the Thais asked, but I was not ready to tell them that it was not enough, I did not want to show them my weakness.”

Wenkert said that he almost got used to the routine, random beatings. “Suddenly two people come through the tunnel and simply beat you with everything they have… You lose consciousness from a punch and then another one wakes you up.”

Wenkert also described how Liam Or received more food before being released, and was forced to film a video claiming that he was treated well. After 53 days with Or, who Wenkert said was his “bright spot,” Wenkert spent 452 more days nearly completely alone.

The beatings continued, and Wenkert recounted how he remembered one day that it was his birthday. “I saw the dates – I was beaten that day. That was my birthday gift. That was the day I took a rod to the head. The door burst open, and the terrorist woke me with an absolute frenzy and insane aggression. He humiliated me, beat me, came at me with an iron rod. Again, I had made up my mind that I wouldn’t show weakness in front of them.”

“And after he left, I told myself, This is my birthday. I completely broke down and decided that, at this very moment, I would congratulate myself for my birthday. I said, ‘Okay, this is the lowest point I’ve ever experienced in my life.’ But still, I told myself – this is the moment I want to congratulate myself.”

Wenker said that the terrorists who held him were especially harsh every time Hamas suffered a setback, like a deal falling through or a commander being eliminated.

“I knew exactly when it happened. When a deal fell through, it was nothing but humiliation, physical violence, reduced food, abuse.”

After 197 alone, Wenkert was joined in his tunnel by fellow hostages Tal Shoham, Evyatar David, and Guy Gilboa-Dalal.

“Guy said to me nonchalantly, ‘What's going on, brother? I’m Guy,’ so sweet. I couldn't believe there were other people with me. I told them: ‘I have to tell you something strange, I need a hug, I need a touch.’ They immediately said, ‘of course,’ and we hugged. I didn’t stop talking for about three weeks.”

When Wenkert was told he would be released, he immediately started fearing for the lives of David and Gilboa-Dalal. Hamas later revealed they were forced to watch the release of their friends before being returned to their dungeon.

“It was very difficult. I can't stop thinking about them because I know what's happening to them. I don't think 'brothers' is a word that is sufficient to describe the bond between us. There's not a moment that I don't think about them, there's not a moment that I don't hope that they're really okay there,” Wenkert said.

On the day of their release, Wenkert said, “Omer Shem Tov or Eliya Cohen started singing Shir Lema’alot [the song of ascents, Psalm 121]. And we found ourselves singing together, from the heart. The moment I saw the Red Cross, it was the greatest relief there could be.”

The following release ceremony meant to humiliate them didn’t affect him, Wenkert stressed. “For me, that was the victory, I finished the struggle. I fought and I won. I was smiling from ear to ear. The first thing I said to my mother was that I had defeated the captivity. I meant it, I kicked its butt.”

“My heart swells with pride, love and gratitude,” his mother Niva told Ynet News.

“That Omer is home – it's a miracle, nothing less. Of course, I didn't trust whoever was holding him, but I was still very surprised. You heard his testimony, captivity is hell underground. Rats don't live in such conditions,” he added.

Niva Wenkert also said that since her son’s return, she “stares at him more. I find myself just looking at him non-stop, and touching him more. He's my son, and we know that there will come moments when he will fall, and we're waiting for that too. Right now he's leaving the house a little, meeting with friends. There's also the rehabilitation in Beilinson [hospital], he's discovering the world anew.”

Despite the pain and suffering, Wenkert said he “doesn’t bother” thinking about revenge.

“This is a sentence that Tal [Shoham] would often tell us: ‘Don't forget that, in the end, they will remain in this evil, in sub-humanity, and we will go back to living our lives. That will be the victory’.”