Israeli hostages reveal how they ate rice and pita and slept on rows of plastic waiting room-like seats after being abducted by Hamas and held captive in Gaza

Relatives of Israeli hostages have described how their relatives ate rice and pita and slept on plastic chairs after being kidnapped by Hamas.

Hostages who were returned to Israel and reunited with their families on Friday evening told their loved ones how they were treated.

Keren Munder, her son and her grandmother were among those released after they were abducted from their relatives’ home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Ms. Munder told her cousin that the hostages ate mostly rice and pita and slept on rows of plastic chairs, like those in waiting rooms.

She also said that they knocked on the door when they needed to go to the toilet, but that sometimes they had to wait an hour and a half before they could go.

Merav Raviv, Keren’s cousin, said her aunt Ruthie and Keren’s son Ohad were also taken, but their elderly uncle Avraham was taken separately.

The kidnapped family believed their frail uncle had been killed until Mrs. Raviv told them he was being held hostage, but Keren’s brother Roi had been killed, she said.

Mr Munder is not in good health, walks with a cane and has poor eyesight.

He was left in the house by Hamas when his wife, daughter and grandson were kidnapped.

Together with the Munder family, 85-year-old Taffa Adar was also brought back.

Her granddaughter Adva told it The times of Israel she is an ‘amazing and tough woman’.

She added: “She knows what happened to her house, that it was destroyed. Usually when you’re in your eighties you have your house, your memories, your photo albums, and she has nothing. In her old age she has to start over and that is tough.

‘I am so proud to be her granddaughter. I look at her and the way she survived this and the strength she shows, and the way she was still able to have the hope of coming back.”

Nine-year-old Emily Hand was finally reunited with her father on Saturday after 50 days as a Hamas hostage.

The girl, who was initially feared to have been killed by Hamas gunmen during their invasion of Israel, was filmed walking into her father’s arms.

Emily was snatched in her pajamas on October 7, taking about 240 prisoners back to Gaza. She celebrated her ninth birthday while in captivity.

On Saturday evening, she joined 20 other hostages released by Hamas during a four-day lull in the conflict. Her release came after a delay of several hours when Hamas accused Israel of not adhering to the terms of the deal.

Emily’s arrest made headlines around the world after her emotional father, Thomas Hand, 63, initially said he hoped she had been killed in the October 7 invasion, rather than being in the hands of Hamas.

Since she was revealed to be alive, Mr Hand has campaigned tirelessly for her freedom.

Mr Hand later revealed she was ‘broken’ after her ordeal, but still whole. He also said he had been too scared to hug her tightly, but promised to throw her the “biggest birthday party ever.”

Speaking to the Mirror ahead of his daughter’s long-awaited release, a relieved Mr Hand said: ‘We have waited far too long for this moment. Every day has been a long and painful nightmare. My Emily finally comes home, broken but whole.”

After her release, her family added in a statement: “Emily has returned to us. We can’t find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days.

“We are overjoyed to hug Emily again, but at the same time we remember Raya Rotem and all the hostages who have yet to return.

“We will continue to do everything in our power to bring them home.

‘We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has helped and supported us over the past 50 days leading up to Emily’s return.

“We appreciate the continued support as we continue our efforts for everyone’s safe return.”

Noam, 17, and Alma Or, 13, the siblings who were cruelly taken hostage after the group of terrorists killed their mother, Yonat, were also sent back.

Unfortunately, their father, who was also captured by Hamas on October 7, was not released with them.

Adina Moshe, 72, told her family she believed she was being led to her death before she and 12 other hostages were released on Friday after the warring sides signed a four-day Qatari-negotiated ceasefire.

Her niece Mayan Moshe, 43, told The Times: ‘She knew something was going on when the explosions all stopped on Friday and there was suddenly silence.

“Our aunt said they were scared when they were taken out of the tunnel; they thought they were being taken to be executed. It was only when they saw the Red Cross buses that they realized they were being released.”

Adina was held underground by Hamas terrorists for fifty days before being released and her eyes were still adjusting to the sunlight as she spoke to her family.

Her cousin Ayat Nouri said: “They kept up the terror until the end.”

Sharon Aviddori, 52, a drama therapist who works with people on the autism spectrum, and her daughter Noam Aviddori, 12, who was about to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah. Both were captured from Kibbutz Be’eri.

Hila Rotem, 13, who managed to escape from her home in Be’eri but was later found in the bushes and taken to Gaza, has also been released, but her mother remains in captivity.

The release of hostages came as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement between Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel.