Israeli ex-hostage Shoshan Haran: ‘We were naive’ about Hamas

In an interview with FRANCE 24 marking the English release of her memoir, “Mission in Captivity,” Israeli former hostage Shoshan Haran reflected on the tragic events of October 7, 2023. Haran, an agronomist and founder of the NGO Fair Planet, stated that residents of her community failed to fully grasp the lethal intent of Hamas prior to the attack.

Haran was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, along with her daughter, sister-in-law, and nieces. During her 50-day captivity in Gaza, she adopted a strategy of psychological resilience, drawing upon lessons from Holocaust survivor literature to maintain dignity and demand respect from her captors through body language and eye contact.

“First of all, we were naive,” Haran said. “We didn’t really believe that they want to kill us all. Although they were explicit about it.” She clarified that her reference to “they” pertained to Hamas, citing the group’s consistent declarations, speeches, and written materials.

When questioned about international accusations of genocide and war crimes directed at Israel due to the devastation in Gaza, Haran dismissed the claims. “The claim of genocide is a lie. It is a war, a very cruel war,” she asserted.

Tragically, Haran discovered upon her release on November 25, 2023, that her husband, Avshalom Haran, and her sister had not been taken hostage but were murdered during the attack. She shared the final words of her husband, which were relayed by her son-in-law Tal, who was held in Gaza tunnels for 505 days: “It was a pleasure to live.”

Describing her current life rebuilding in a different kibbutz, Haran expressed that she misses her husband constantly. Prior to the conflict, the kibbutz maintained close economic ties with Gaza, employing residents from the enclave and facilitating medical transport for sick children to Israeli hospitals.