• Israeli teen’s depiction of captors is recounted, contradicting the narrative put out in mainstream western media outlets
• This is in stark contrast to the Palestinian hostages who appeared traumatised, exhausted and sporting various injuries in Israeli prisons
The Testimony
In a newly released interview, Agam Goldstein-Almog recounts her experience as she was held hostage in Gaza alongside her mother and two younger brothers where she spent 51 days captive before being released in November last year. She bided her time drawing, writing and playing cards.As the hostage’s testimony emerges, it has a provided a new insight into the image put across of the captors, defying the long held typecast.
“We played arm wrestling with them. I was given a ‘beautiful’ Arabic name by them: Salsabeel, which means running water and is mentioned in the Quran.”
Agam’s interview highlighted the nature of her captors and painted them in a humane light which fragments the image that is fostered in conventional news outlets. This has fuelled further public scrutiny which questions the authenticity and intent of the mainstream media as the proverbial mask slips further in the public sphere.
The Differences in Treatment
Palestinian hostages taken to Israeli prisons under the guise of false accusations are systematically treated in an undignified and horrific manner, suffering beatings, malnutrition, verbal and psychological abuse and torture.
A picture of recently released hostage Bassem Tamimi, a prominent Palestinian activist from the village of Nabi Saleh, showed him looking weakened and displaying signs of emotional trauma. Bassem Tamimi, a human rights defender, was freed from Israeli prison after serving 8 months in detention without charge or trial. Tamimi is well-known for his non-violent protests against Israeli settlements and the occupation of Palestinian territories.
In stark comparison, the released Israeli hostages looked to be at ease, smiling, relaxed and no signs of torture or malnutrition. The contrasting experiences have ignited a heated discourse, triggering a wave of speculation on the authenticity of mainstream coverage.
Palestinian captives are often detained under administrative detention without charge or trial, based on arbitrary notions. Detainees are subject to military law, which has different standards compared to civilian law, often allowing for harsher conditions and longer periods of detention.
The Backlash
The hostage’s testimony has altered public perception, triggering a wave of speculation, analysis, and reactions that have reverberated through media coverage and social media platforms.
In response to the interview, the commentary and backlash has been severe and unprecedented which have taken their toll on Agam, with some even commenting “too bad you returned”. This, Agam feels, is in response to showing the human side to her captors. In her words, “I mentioned how I talked with the kidnappers, and people didn’t like it. I behaved like a human being, and they criticise me for this.”
Agam’s testimony serves as a formidable reminder of the role testimonies play in challenging official narratives and shedding mainstream bias.
