Brief
Israeli agronomist recounts 50 days of captivity with family in Gaza
Shoshan Haran, founder of Fair Planet, survived 50 days in private homes in Gaza after the Oct. 7 attack, describing the use of hostages as human shields.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Israeli agronomist Shoshan Haran, president of the Fair Planet nonprofit, survived 50 days of captivity in Gaza with her daughter, two grandchildren, sister‑in‑law and niece, according to a New York Post interview.
What happened
Haran and her family were seized during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas assault on the kibbutz of Be’eri. Unlike many hostages kept in underground tunnels, they were moved between several private homes above ground. The first apartment contained a cardboard box, toys and a blue sofa; later homes included a well‑off family’s residence with a lavish chandelier. Over the period, Haran observed that captors called each other “Muhammad” to hide identities and used the hostages as human shields, believing Israeli forces would avoid striking locations known to hold civilians.
What the reports add
The Post notes that Harana’s son‑in‑law, Tal Shoham, was held for 505 days before release, while her husband Avshalom, sister Lilach, brother‑in‑law Evyatar and caregiver Paul were killed on Oct. 7. The article also mentions that Haran’s captors played Connect Four and indoor basketball with her grandchildren, Yahel (3) and Naveh.
What was said
Haran told the Post, “It’s so vicious that it’s hard for me to express how you could use young children as bargaining chips.” She added, “I never cried during these 50 days. I demanded that they respect us.” She said the head of Israel’s secret service later told her that her behavior and communication with the captors had improved their treatment of the group.
How it came about
Haran’s experience follows the broader pattern of Oct. 7 hostages being used as bargaining tools, a theme also covered by Felo News in recent pieces on former hostages’ post‑traumatic growth and the IDF’s tunnel tour. Her new memoir, “Mission in Captivity: One Woman’s Struggle to Survive and Save Her Family in Gaza,” expands on these events.
Key facts
- Shoshan Haran survived 50 days of captivity in Gaza with her daughter, grandchildren, sister‑in‑law and niece. (nypost.com)
- Haran’s family members killed on Oct. 7 included her husband Avshalom, sister Lilach, brother‑in‑law Evyatar and caregiver Paul. (nypost.com)
- Captors moved hostages between multiple private homes above ground, using them as human shields. (nypost.com)
- Haran’s son‑in‑law Tal Shoham was held for 505 days before release. (nypost.com)
- Haran’s memoir is titled “Mission in Captivity: One Woman’s Struggle to Survive and Save Her Family in Gaza.” (nypost.com)
Sources
- [1] nypost.com — originally reported as “Israeli Oct. 7 hostage shares how she survived 50 days in Hamas captivity after massacre: ‘I demanded that they respect us’”
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