In a gripping interview, Doron Asher, who was held captive by Hamas militants for almost 50 days along with her two young daughters, shared her harrowing experience and shed light on the conditions she endured. Speaking about her captors, Asher described how they 'absolutely put on a show' during her release, dressing her up in nice clothes and shoes while she and her girls had spent the entire ordeal barefoot and cold. Asher's husband, Yoni Asher, had previously expressed his anguish and fear for his family's safety during their abduction.
According to Asher, after their arrival in Gaza, they were confined to a small room in an apartment, unable to leave. After 16 days, they were relocated to what was referred to as a 'hospital.' However, the captives received minimal information about their situation and were subjected to psychological warfare. Asher mentioned that the captors tried to instill fear, claiming that they would never be able to return home and that nobody in Israel cared about their plight.
Asher also revealed that she was housed with other hostages, but her captors provided little information about them. Despite the constant sounds of bombings from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Asher acknowledged that it served as a glimmer of hope, as she believed it put pressure on Hamas to facilitate their release.
The most terrifying moment for Asher came when they were smuggled out of the so-called hospital and taken to a meeting point with the Red Cross. A large crowd gathered, and Asher feared a potential lynch mob. Amidst the chaos, she held her girls tightly, who expressed their fear for the first time after a month and a half of her protection.
Following their release, the Asher girls have started readjusting to their normal lives through family therapy. However, their healing process is hindered by the fact that not all hostages have been freed, including Asher's brother, Gadi Moses. Asher stressed the importance of the world understanding the reality faced by hostages and called for their immediate release.
With the girls now back in kindergarten, they are enjoying their freedom and doing things they missed during their captivity, such as playing in their backyard. Tomorrow, the younger daughter, Aviv, will turn three years old, and the family plans to celebrate with a small party at home.
Despite the trauma they endured, the Asher family is striving to move forward and rebuild their lives. Their story serves as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
