An Israeli soldier recently released from the Gaza Strip has revealed that Palestinian resistance group Hamas let her and others captives practice their religious rituals and observe Jewish traditions & holidays.
During an interview with Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Agam Berger said that she and other captives “were surprised” when their captors provided them with various items, including a Jewish prayer book, known in Hebrew as siddur.
The captives stayed informed about Jewish holidays through radio and TV, helping them determine when to observe these dates. Berger noted that she observed Passover with corn flour provided by her captors and managed to fast on Yom Kippur and the Fast of Esther.
Her detention in Gaza coincided with the Israeli murderous campaign in the Palestinian enclave and the disruption of fundamental living circumstances, including acute food shortages.
Recalling how she observed the Yom Kippur holiday, she said: “We managed to fast, and I remember praying a lot that day.”
She described her release as an overwhelming moment, filled with the realization that she was going to be freed.
