Some Non-Israeli Hostages Beaten to Death by Hamas Due to Language Gap: Report

The head of the IDF's foreign hostages team, Lt.-Col. A., has said that some of them were beaten to death in Hamas captivity in an interview with Israeli media. 

Discussing the specific cultural issues that come with handling the cases of foreign hostages, A. said that due to a "language gap," some of the foreign hostages held by Hamas were beaten to death.

"There is a language gap here," A. told the Israeli news outlet. "You can't speak Hebrew or English with them, and that's not an easy challenge. Think about the Hamas people who have to talk to the hostages, some of whom were beaten to death in captivity because they didn't understand what Hamas wanted from them. This is unimaginable."

The remaining foreign hostages range from Thai to Tanzanian, all of them either agricultural students or workers. A. described the cultural differences between some of the foreign hostages, saying that each country has taken a different approach, but that often similar difficulties can arise.

"We must remember that the vast majority are [rural] villagers, without passports; some have never boarded a plane. We, as a country, proposed this and even financed it, but there is also a cultural issue here, and each country has its own policy," the foreign hostages team leader said. (JPost/VFI News) 

“Dear Lord, we pray for all the hostages and their families who have suffered terribly because of Hamas. We pray that You comfort them, wipe their tears and put Your hope in their heart. We pray continually for a deal that will ensure the release of all remaining hostages, with minimal release of terrorists. You are the God of the impossible and we trust in You. In Yeshua's name we pray.”