Hamas threatened wife of released hostage Tal Shoham - New shocking details

Tal Shoham, a former hostage held by Hamas for 505 days, disclosed that even after his wife and children were freed in an initial hostage deal, Hamas continued to intimidate his wife, Adi. In a chilling phone call, someone claiming to be a Hamas member warned her to stay silent about her ordeal or risk her husband’s life, Shoham shared in an interview with the Associated Press.

Shoham, 40, a dual Israeli-Austrian citizen, endured brutal conditions during his captivity, including starvation, beatings, and death threats. “There were many times I said goodbye to life,” he said, recalling moments he thought he wouldn’t survive. Early in his captivity, a Hamas militant pointed a gun at him and ordered him to kneel, but Shoham defiantly refused, stating, “I didn’t want to be murdered on their terms.”

Initially chained in northern Gaza, Shoham was later moved to an apartment where he was held alongside fellow captives Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. The trio faced relentless abuse, including beatings, humiliation, and mock executions, with captors taunting them about the party where they were abducted. Forbidden from speaking, they resorted to whispering to communicate. Shoham learned Arabic to better interact with his captors, which occasionally secured small privileges, like better food such as sardines or eggs, in exchange for tasks like massaging a captor’s back.

About 50 days into his ordeal, Shoham received a letter from Adi, delivered through his captors, confirming that she and their children were safe and would soon be released. This rare act of kindness gave him the strength to persevere.

In June 2024, following Operation Arnon’s hostage rescue in Nuseirat, Shoham, David, and Gilboa-Dalal were relocated to a tunnel 30 meters underground, where they joined Omer Wenkert. Disguised as Palestinians and transported in an ambulance, they lived in dire conditions, sleeping on thin mattresses near a makeshift toilet and bathing roughly once every three weeks.

Upon his release two months ago, Shoham urged his fellow captives to “be strong” and “not lose hope.” Now, he is calling on the Israeli government and international community to act urgently to secure the release of those still held. “I fear they will die if they aren’t rescued soon,” he warned, withholding some details to protect those still in captivity.

Arutz Sheva contributed to this article.