Horrific details of sexual torture carried out by Hamas on October 7 are revealed in a new documentary, with the sisters of one female hostage begging for her release.
The 60-minute film 'Screams Before Silence,' created by Israeli production company Kastina Communications, and presented by Sheryl Sandberg was shown at the Southampton Arts Center Wednesday night.
The
film shines a light on the atrocities and sexual violence against women
and girls - specifically to those who deny they occurred.
Nearly 100 gathered for the private
screening that featured special guests - Shani, 26, and May Yerushalmi,
21, whose sister Eden, 24, has been in captivity in Gaza for nearly 300 days.
Sandberg
is pictured throughout the deeply emotional film speaking to
eyewitnesses, released hostages, survivors, first responders, and
medical and forensic experts.
In a previous interview, she told The Wall Street Journal that being part of the documentary 'is the most important work of my life.'
Shani
Yerushalmi, 26 (pictured left) and May, 21, have been advocating for
their sister, Eden, 24, release. Both women attended the private
screening, 'Screams Before Silence' on Wednesday night at the South
Hampton Arts Center
Eden Yerushalmi, 24, was working
as a bartender at the Nova Music Festival when she was captured by Hamas
terrorists on October 7. Her sisters said there has been no proof of
life
Sandberg has been outspoken about Hamas
using sexual violence as a war tactic. In December, she told the United
Nations that 'rape should never be used as an act of war,' CNN reported.
In
the film, Sandberg interviews Dr. Ayelet Levy Shachar, the mother of
Naama Levy whose 19-year-old daughter, and IDF soldier, was kidnapped,
and is still being held hostage by the terror group.
Viewing those horrifying moments on October 7 that is excruciating to watch, Levy said her daughter's 'face looks terrified.'
'She's
barefoot and in her pajamas and they're bloodstained,' she said.
''They're grabbing her by the hair, and she's all, like messed up.'
'I am thinking of what she experienced, you know, until that point and how long was she...,' her voice trailed off.
'Maybe
that is the thing with the video, we would like to think that this
couldn't be possible - that nobody would harm a young girl but then you
see it there,' she said through tears.
'They're the one who posted the video - the Hamas.'
Nova
Music Festival Survivor Tali Biner went back to the site with Sandberg
and stood in the white trailer showing her where she hid for seven
hours.
'Two of my friends were here. One was here. We were on the ground. My head was here. My legs were bended,' she explained.
She
appeared shaken as she recalled the haunting cries and screams she
heard from women and girls nearby - that went on for 15 to 20 minutes
- screams, she said, that didn't stop.
She
told Sandberg she too feared for her life and thought she would be
raped. She told her that she started to calculate in her mind, 'what is
worse to get kidnapped, to get raped or to get shot.'
Sandberg,
who seemed as equally shaken, asked her how the screaming ended in
these cases, Biner said, 'they got shot. Then silence.'
Amit Soussana was held hostage for 55 days, and the first person to publicly say she was sexually abused in captivity, The New York Times reported.
She
said her 'instinct was just to fight,' when 10 men surrounded her. 'I
wanted to show them that I'm strong that they are not going to take me
so easily.'
But she also shared the darkest fears that flooded her mind.
'I didn't mind getting killed. I think I maybe preferred that in those moments. I was scared, I was really scared.
'That
they're gonna rape me there and that they're going to drag me through
Gaza streets and parade my body around, so I feared that more than being
killed.'
Tali Biner survived the Nova Music Festival and brought Sandberg to the tent where she hid for seven hours
Dr. Ayelet Levey Shachar, the mother of Naama Levy, 19, an IDF soldier, who was kidnapped and being held hostage by Hamas
A haunting image of Naama Levy being taken away by the terrorist
After
the film there was a Q&A moderated by Cristina Cuomo, her husband
is Chris Cuomo, a popular television journalist, who is a news anchor at
NewsNation.
With their translator Ofir
Caspi by their side, the sisters told the audience what they are doing
to keep their sister's voice alive, and how critical it was to bring
their sister and all the other hostages home.
Describing
their sister as a happy person, with lots of friends, the life of the
party, who loves to dance and laugh. Before October 7, she was
waitressing and living with friends in Tel Aviv.
Shani
said the last time they saw their sister they had all met for dinner.
She was going to the Nova Music Festival with two friends she worked
with.
She recalled Eden being excited about going to the festival to work and play. It would also be her first bartending job.
People flee music festival after
Hamas attack in Israel. The young woman has became known as the lady in
red - one of the most hauntingly iconic images from the October 7
massacre
Sanderg standing looking at the
images of all those who perished in Re'eim the site of the Nova Musical
Festival, a trance festival held in Israel's Negev Desert, that would
become the deadliest concert in history- and is now a living memorial
When
she arrived in the Negev desert, she spent part of the early morning
hours partying and dancing with friends - until 6.30am when the music
stopped and the gunshots and gut-wrenching screams were heard.
She
called her family to tell them a terror attack was taking place, and
shortly after she would watch her friends get murdered as the terrorists
shot at their car.
Shani
said Eden told her she could hear the blood dripping from the bullet
wounds and as she played dead, one of her friend's lifeless bodies
toppled on her.
When
she found the courage to run away, she hid behind a small bush. 'Ants
were biting her face. She was so scared. She could barely breathe,'
Shani recalled.
For
nearly three hours, the sisters would stay on the phone with her trying
to console her telling her to breathe - until she told them in a
whispered tone in Hebrew 'Shani ...they caught me...they caught me.'
Frantic,
the sisters said they remained silent so they could hear what was
happening, and that is when they heard the terrorist say to Eden in
Arabic 'ta al' meaning 'come, get up,' and the line cut off.
For nearly nine months, the sisters have no proof of life.
They spoke with other female hostages who were released who told some of the sexual abuse they endured.
'It is terrifying to think of what Eden is going through in captivity,' Shani said, 'and the condition she might be in.'
But,
they are trying not to let their mind wander and to staying positive as
the continue to share her story, and focused on getting her home.
The three sisters together Eden in the center has been held captive for nearly 300 days
Shani walked with her sister May last week in Central Park with all the families who have loved ones held captive
Crown Prince of Greece Pavlos and
his wife, Marie Chantel are pictured with sisters, May and Shani
Yerushalmi. Pavlos appeared moved by film and told the crowd that he has
a daughter similar in age to some of the victims
(pictured l-r) Liz Cohen Hausman, May Yerushalmi, Cristina Cuomo, Shani Yerushalmi, Simone Levinson, Gail Perry, and Ofir Caspi
Eden is described as a happy, vivacious person who loves life and has lots of friends
The
invitation only event was co-hosted by Simone Levinson, founding
co-chair of Southampton Arts Center, and philanthropist Liz Cohen
Hausman, who brought the film to South Hampton after going to Sandberg's
premiere in New York.
Attendees
included Fernanda Niven, granddaughter of Oscar winner David Niven,
Zibby Owens - daughter of Billionaire Stephen Schwarzman and Marie Chantal of Greece, and her husband Prince Pavlos.
Jeff
Klein, owner of Sunset Tower, San Vicente Bungalows, Arden Wohl and her
artist husband Jonah Freeman, Arden's mother Denise Wohl, Blair
Hussein, Heather and Dylan Mnuchin, among others
Sandberg, a former COO of META,
was not in attendance at the Wednesday night screening. After the film,
many appeared visibly shaken by the savagery, while others felt
inspired to do more.
More than
1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed by Hamas terrorists on
October 7 and over 240 hostages abducted. Approximately, 100 hostages
were released during a temporary cease-fire that ended December 1,
2023.
Israel says there are currently 116 hostages that remain in captivity, including the bodies of at least 42, The Wall Street Journal reported.
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