"They Beat Us Until They Were Exhausted": Hostage Bar Kupershtein Reveals How Sde Teiman Leak Triggered Brutal Torture

In one of the most harrowing revelations from his forthcoming book, hostage survivor Bar Kuperstein has disclosed the direct and devastating impact that the Sde Teiman detention facility scandal had on captives held in Gaza. The leaked footage of IDF soldiers allegedly striking Palestinian prisoners became a weapon in the hands of Hamas terrorists, triggering a campaign of systematic torture against Israeli hostages.

According to Kuperstein's account, published in an interview with Israel Hayom, Hamas captors deliberately showed the hostages videos depicting Israeli soldiers mistreating detainees at the facility. The message was chillingly clear: "It's being published worldwide that your soldiers beat our prisoners, so now you're going to get it."

The survivor described the period following the leak as "a terrible time." He stated that the terrorists "pounded us with beatings until they were exhausted, and we couldn't sleep from the anxiety." The psychological warfare combined with physical brutality created an atmosphere of unrelenting terror for the captives, who found themselves paying the price for events occurring thousands of miles away in Israel.

In graphic detail, Kuperstein recounted how he and fellow hostage Yosef Chaim Ohana were extracted from their holding area with coverings over their heads. "At the entrance to the room, they gave us slaps that knocked us to the floor," he wrote. "They started to stomp, kick, and drag us. It felt like an eternity."

Systematic Brutality and Broken Bones

The captors bound the hostages' legs to metal bars and struck them repeatedly with iron rods and metal objects until Kuperstein's toes were fractured. In a desperate attempt to minimize the damage, he positioned one foot over the other, hoping to absorb the blows on a single leg so he could still walk on the other. "I put one leg on top of the other to catch beatings only on one leg, so I could step on the other one," he explained.

Following the torture session, both men were forced to crawl back to the tunnel where the other hostages were being held. Kuperstein described the shock registered on the faces of their fellow captives, Ohad Ben Ami, Elkanah Bohbot, Segev Kalfon, and Maxim Harkinm when they witnessed the extent of the injuries.

A Plea That Stopped the Violence

According to Kuperstein's testimony, it was Ohad Ben Ami, the eldest member of the group, who ultimately brought an end to the systematic beatings. Ben Ami had earned a measure of respect from the captors, and he used that standing to make an emotional appeal on behalf of his fellow hostages.

"Why are you doing this to them? They're like my children," Ben Ami reportedly pleaded through tears. "We're in darkness and despair; why add beatings too? I can't take this anymore." His desperate entreaty succeeded where nothing else had, and the physical abuse ceased. The hostages remained huddled together in the tunnel, clinging to one another for comfort and survival.

The Sde Teiman Controversy

The Sde Teiman case has been one of the most contentious legal matters to emerge from the current conflict. The detention facility, which housed high-risk security prisoners including Nukhba terrorists from the October 7 massacre, became the subject of intense scrutiny after edited footage was leaked to the media. The leak was later revealed to have been authorized by the former Military Advocate General, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi.

In a dramatic reversal, the Military Advocate General recently dropped all charges against the Force 100 soldiers who had been indicted in connection with the facility. The decision cited significant evidentiary problems, procedural failures, and concerns about the conduct of senior officials within the military prosecution system. The case's collapse highlighted what many viewed as a rush to judgment based on incomplete and manipulated evidence.

Kuperstein's revelations add a devastating new dimension to the Sde Teiman affair, demonstrating that the consequences of the leaked footage extended far beyond Israel's borders. The hostages held in Gaza became unwitting victims of a domestic controversy, their suffering amplified by decisions made within Israel's own security establishment.

Bar Kuperstein has previously shared other challenges he has faced since his release from captivity, including humiliating encounters where his status as a hostage survivor was dismissed or disrespected. His book promises to provide the most comprehensive account yet of life in Hamas captivity and the complex struggles of returning to civilian life.