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More than 400 days and nights have passed since my daughter Naama, then 19, was taken hostage in Gaza. Naama is a fun teenager, loved by everyone. She embodies the values of kindness, tolerance and compassion, volunteering at a kindergarten for the children of asylum seekers and working to build bridges between Israeli and Palestinian children through the organization “Hands of Peace.”
So much time has passed since that horrific Saturday when the world watched Hamas videos showing armed terrorists brutally dragging a beaten and bloodied Naama with six of her friends into the trunk of a jeep taking them to Gaza, after forcing them to witness the murder of their friends.
Naama Levy has been held hostage for over a year, (Dr Ayelet Levy Shahar)
The haunting images of that day still torment me with a helplessness I previously felt only in nightmares. We know that she was injured and that today she and the other 100 hostages remain in grave danger. The freed hostages confirmed our worst fears about violence, physical and sexual abuse, starvation and darkness in the underground tunnels. Now, with the arrival of the harsh cold of winter, their chances of survival in these inhumane conditions become even more desperate.
“WE DON’T WANT TO BURY THREE GENERATIONS”: ASPECT OF HAMAS’ SMALLEST HOSTAGE AND HIS FAMILY
Recently, Naama spent her 20th birthday – a milestone that should mark a young woman confidently entering adulthood – underground, in a tunnel, surrounded by the Hamas terrorists who kidnapped her in her pajamas ago. more than 400 days.
Last November, a glimmer of hope came when 105 hostages, mostly women and children, were freed and reunited with their families in the first and only hostage release deal. But Naama was not one of them. Since then, despite the many opportunities for additional agreements, each failure to negotiate is another missed opportunity, another day of separation, another night of uncertainty.
Naama Levy’s mother describes her as a fun-loving and kind person. (Dr Ayelet Levy Shahar)
Not a second went by without my family and I fighting to bring Naama home. Every morning begins with the same desperate question: how to save her? We are fortunate to have tremendous support from our community, friends, family, and colleagues, allowing us to somehow maintain fragments of normalcy amidst this overwhelming chaos. – essential to our daily survival.
For me, there is another vital anchor: my patients. As a family doctor, my job is to listen to patients’ difficulties and relieve their pain. During this terrible time, my medical clinic became a sanctuary of purpose and stability. I have found that addressing the struggles of others helps ease my own personal anxiety.
Early in our struggle – as hostage families – I wondered if I could contain a patient’s distress while my daughter was enduring real suffering. Some patients tiptoe into my office, apologizing for bothering me with something like a sore throat. The truth is that my ability to process them actually helps me deal with my own difficulties.
The families of Hamas hostages still held in Gaza, like that of Naama Levy, pray that the Americans will not forget the fate of their loved ones. (Dr Ayelet Levy Shahar)
Many understand the physical and psychological implications of prolonged captivity in extreme and very difficult conditions. Perhaps in my case, clinical knowledge and medical training make it even more difficult. It’s not easy, but I have to choose – as much as possible – where to direct my thoughts. Dwelling on the “unknown” only intensifies the difficulty.
Unfortunately, the voice of the global medical community is barely heard. The massacre of October 7, the state of health of the hostages and the lack of access to medical care violate all international standards and laws. I met several times with the president of the Red Cross and the WHO and was shocked to see that the dire situation of the hostages did not seem to be among their priorities. All they offered was a hug and a little empathy. As long as international organizations remain silent, we cannot afford to wait.
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I constantly imagine the moment of Naama’s return and dream of our life together after this nightmare ends. These visions seem so real, so tangible. When I walk with Naama’s younger sister in our neighborhood, I can’t help but imagine their reunion. At every step, at every street corner, I imagine us together after returning from this cursed place. In the meantime, I speak to Naama in my thoughts, telling her to stay strong, reminding her that she is a true survivor and that beyond all this difficulty and suffering lie the bright days ahead – where she will finally be free.
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Time is running out. I implore current and future U.S. administrations to leave no stone unturned and use every avenue of influence at their disposal – these lives hang by a thread. To the American people, who have always defended justice and human dignity: your voice matters more than ever. Do not let these hostages fade from your consciousness. Don’t let their suffering become news of the past. Your support and defense could mean the difference between life and death for my daughter and the other hostages.
