Mental abuse and various forms of punishment became a daily routine in captivity under Hamas, relatives of 27-year-old Andrei Kozlov, one of four hostages freed in the Nuseirat refugee camp over the weekend, report.
After eight months in captivity, Andrei Kozlov was reunited with his family on Sunday, who are now sharing his stories about his experiences in captivity.
When it was hottest during the day, the hostages were covered with blankets, Andrei Kozlov's father, Michail Kozlov, recounts.
It's a very difficult ordeal. Being dehydrated in the heat, he says to CNN.
Frightened during the rescue
When the Israeli forces arrived on Saturday, Andrei Kozlov was initially frightened, he has told his relatives.
He had been told that Israel wanted to kill him. He didn't understand why the IDF came. He was afraid the IDF came to kill him. It took him a little time to understand that they came to rescue him, says the father.
The first few months, his son's hands and feet were tied, leaving marks on his body. The guards tried to convince the 27-year-old that the world, including his parents, had given up hope for him, the father tells The New York Times.
Too little food
Andrei Kozlov was taken captive by Hamas during the coordinated attack on 7 October, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. Kozlov was taken hostage during the attack on the Nova music festival, where he worked as a security guard.
The doctor responsible for the freed hostages says they were mistreated in captivity.
The combination of psychological stress, malnutrition or not getting enough food or not getting the right kind of food, medical neglect, being confined to a space, not seeing the sun, and other things has a significant impact on health, he says to CNN.
According to Hamas-controlled health authorities, 274 people were killed in the Israeli raid on Saturday and the ensuing clashes.
Hamas claims that the hostages were treated well compared to how Palestinian prisoners are treated in Israel, a claim that Israeli representatives question.
