Freed Israeli hostage Mia Schem reveals details about 54-day Hamas captivity, says 'went through holocaust'

Freed Israeli hostage Mia Schem, who was held captive by Hamas fighters in war-torn Gaza for 54 days, recently revealed shocking details about her ordeal with a local media outlet.

Sharing her harrowing experience with Israel Channel 13, she said that she "went through a Holocaust".

"It is important for me to reflect the real situation with regard to people living in Gaza, who they really are and what I went through over there," the 21-year-old Israeli-French tattoo artist said. "I went through a Holocaust, everyone there is a terrorist," said Schem, who was released on Nov 30 during a ceasefire.

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Schemtold the Israeli broadcaster how she was kidnapped from the music festival near Reim on Oct 7 during the Hamas attack and held captive at a family house in Gaza which was under the Palestinian militant group's control.

"It's families under Hamas (control). You know, in retrospect, I suddenly realised that I was with a family. Suddenly I start asking myself questions, why am I at a family's house? Why are there children here? Why is there a woman here?" she said.

Further describing her ordeal, Schem said she was constantly scared of being raped or killed.

"(I was) closed in a dark room, not allowed to talk, not allowed to be seen, to be heard, hidden. There is a terrorist looking at you 24/7, looking, raping you with his eyes." She said. "There is a fear of being raped, there is a fear of dying.. I was frightened."

"I didn't sleep for the entire 54 days, maybe an hour, at night. How can you sleep when a terrorist is looking at you?" she added.

The 21-year-old was seized at the Nova dance party along with many of the other hostages taken captive into Gaza.

Schem was operated on by vet

She made international headlines after a chilling video released by Hamas showed her receiving treatment from a veterinarian on her right arm.

“At the moment, I am in Gaza,” Schem could be heard saying in Hebrew in the 60-second clip.

She said she was injured and taken across the border, where she underwent a three-hour surgery to treat her undisclosed injuries.

“They are taking care of me, giving me medicine, everything is fine. I only ask that they bring me home as soon as possible to my parents, to my siblings. Get me out of here as soon as possible. Please.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.