It’s hard to comprehend what the hostages in Gaza have endured. Stop scrolling and read this account from Ohad Ben Ami, who spent 491 days in captivity: The constant mental state was one of hunger, life-threatening danger, despair, hopelessness, and waiting for it all to end. Insects in the tunnel would get into our noses, mouths, ears, and every possible place. We wore the same clothes, which were washed once a month, and of course, barefoot. We showered once every few weeks in cold, salty water - not running water, of course. Our toilet was in a hole nearby, and when it filled up - we would cover it and dig another hole. The horrific smell in the tunnel never leaves me to this day. We were six people in the tunnel, 30 meters underground, beneath six meters of concrete and sand - without air to breathe. We slept pressed together on a thin, damp, and wet mattress, with the same blanket that had been used as a sheet for over a year. The pillow was made of cut foam with mold, and we had one additional blanket to cover ourselves. We received two meals a day, which at best amounted to 700 calories. Most of our time was spent trying to guess what we would get to eat, at what time it would happen, whether each of us would receive a whole pita or only half. When one person got sick, everyone got sick. There was almost no medicine, except for one Acetaminophen pill and that's it. Diarrhea, stomach infections, and worms were extremely common. Everything was contagious and exhausting because we lost fluids - and there were several cases where we reached a state of losing consciousness from the high fever.
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