Shelly Shem Tov, the mother of Omer Shem Tov, who was held hostage by Hamas for 505 days, shared harrowing testimony today (Monday) before the Knesset’s Education, Culture, and Sports Committee about the brutal conditions her son endured and the terrifying moments he survived during captivity.
“One Biscuit a Day, Salty Water, and Five Days in Complete Darkness”
According to her testimony, Omer spent the first 54 days above ground with fellow hostage Itay Regev. During that period, a bomb landed just 50 meters from them, and Omer felt like he “met God for the first time in captivity.”
After Regev’s release, Omer was transferred to a narrow tunnel where he could neither stand nor fully stretch his arms. He was given only a small flashlight to illuminate the darkness. Initially, he received a pita each day, but over time, his food supply was reduced to just one biscuit a day and salty water.
“In the last five days of captivity, his flashlight battery died. Omer was left alone, in complete darkness, and he prayed to God to take him out of the tunnel. Two hours later, his captors came and removed him,” she recounted.
“Moments Before Being Returned to the Tunnel – It Was Bombed”
Two days later, his captors ordered that Omer be returned to the tunnel. However, one of the guards delayed the order until the next morning. That night, the tunnel was bombed, and Omer’s life was spared once again.
“The hostages have no sense of time; they are physically and mentally tortured every moment. Our enemy is cruel, and deserves to be eliminated, but first, we must bring home the remaining 59 hostages, allowing their families to embrace them or lay them to rest. Everyone deserves security, and there will be no absolute victory without the hostages,” she stated.
