Ayelet Levy-Shachar, whose daughter Naama is being held hostage by Hamas, sat for a harrowing interview with CNN’s Bianna Golodryga this week to discuss her efforts to secure her daughter’s release.
“My voice may be soft when I speak right now, but the scream is inside me. And I don’t hear the voices of the world loud enough responding to the scream. My daughter has been kidnapped by Hamas. Can you even begin to imagine that?” Levy-Shachar said in the interview.
Golodryga then introduced the segment, noting, “It’s one of the most recognizable images from the horrors of October 7th. 19-year-old Naama Levy dragged from the back of a Jeep at gunpoint by Hamas terrorists. Her pants bloodied, her ankles cut.”
“For her Time is running out. You know, every day is harder because, you know, she’s more vulnerable to whatever is happening there and to what’s inflicted on her,” Levy-Shachar added.
“The thought of what else could be inflicted on her daughter has led Doctor Ayelet Levy Shachar to travel to New York. She’s hoping to put more pressure on women’s rights organizations like U.N. women who waited nearly two months to condemn the sexual violence committed by Hamas despite the mounting evidence,” Golodryga noted, before asking:
Do you feel let down by these organizations, not only their moral lapse in not speaking out? Do you think that by
waiting so long, they endangered Naama’s life even more?
“It wasn’t timely, it wasn’t enough. And that did put her it does put her in more danger because time is passing by and she’s not out. And then, you know, I want to just stay home. And by the door and by the phone and wait for that call and open the door and go out and get her, you know, that’s all I want. I don’t want to travel anywhere, but I’m doing it because I think this is. I think the United States has the most power here, and I want to influence whoever I can,” Levy-Shachar replied.
“I’ve met with the Red Cross and the Red Cross president. I do understand there’s a complexity in how they work and how they achieve their mission. They say they don’t have the cooperation on the other side by the Hamas, by the ones who kidnapped. So maybe someone can maybe the U.N. should come out and say ICRC cannot do their assignment,” Levy-Shachar noted after Golodryga explained the Red Cross has come under heavy criticism for not doing more to access the hostages – many of whom desperately need medical attention.
“Why do you think they’re not doing that?” Golodryga asked.
“Good question. Why are they not doing that?” Levy-Shachar repeated, referring to the U.
“A day before her trip to New York. Came the shocking news from the IDF. Its soldiers had mistakenly killed three hostages who had escaped or been abandoned by their captors,” Golodryga continued.
“No, I was shocked. The fear that I feel all the time just got worse at that point. And when I heard this broke my heart, I know the parents of the of those know at least some of those hostages that were killed. It’s horrible. It’s horrible tragedy. Of course,” Levy-Shachar responded.
“Everyone can recognize the video, horrific video of Naama on October 7th. I know for you it’s really important for that video to be shown. Can you explain why?” Golodryga asked.
“You know, for me, it’s of course, beyond upsetting and I can’t even watch it in continuity. But I think it’s so important for the world to see this is what happened to my daughter is the short film that is totally on does not represent anything about her except the cruelty of those moments. The moment where our lives just stopped and froze and it’s been. It’s been October 7th ever since,” Levy-Schachar replied.
“Levy-Schachar wants the world to know who her daughter really is. A young, determined, fun-loving girl who sought peace with her Palestinian neighbors and loves Pink. Specifically, the
Watch the full clip above via CNN.