WATCH the moment a freed Hamas hostage revealed details of her captivity as she confronted a pro-Palenstinan college protestor.
Moran Stella Yanai, one of the people taken from the Nova Festival in southern Israel, appeared on stage at a debate at UCLA in Los Angeles.
YouTube @The Gr8 DebateMoran Stella Yanai questioned UCLA’s pro-Palestine student leader Aidan Doyle on stage[/caption]
A member of the crowd told Doyle to ‘look at her’
A viral TikTok video showed the moment Yanai was kidnappedTikTok
Yanai shared details about the beatings and abuse she endured as a hostage while on stage with the UCLA encampment leader Aidan Doyle.
The freed hostage was held for 54 days and told a crowd how she suffered from a broken leg and bruises when she tried to flee from the festival, as well as the sexual assault she faced while captured.
Yanai directed much of her story to Doyle who appeared to mostly look at the floor as the freed hostage was talking to him, per The Gr8 Debate.
She described her account of the ordeal she faced on October 7.
The freed hostage had been at the festival where she set up her jewelry stand to sell to ravers.
Yanai added that she attempted to escape through the desert near Mount Negev but broke her leg on the way.
“When I was taken to Gaza I was kidnapped, I was caught three times,” Yanai said.
“On the last time, I was caught by 13 Hamas terrorists. 13.”
Yanai also described how she believed some citizens of Gaza celebrated her capture.
“I saw 100% of civilians celebrating me being taken, I didn’t know about the other hostages,” she said.
“I thought it was only me.”
“I respected them even when they abused me cause I believe if I want to be respected I have to respect everybody else,” she added.
Yanai added that this moment was caught in a TikTok video that her 12-year-old niece came across online.
The freed hostage explained that the shocking video was how her parents discovered she had been kidnapped.
How you can get help
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
Always keep your phone nearby.
Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
If you are in danger, call 999.
Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
This shocking video showed how Yanai begged for her life when she was taken out of Israel.
Yanai asked Doyle several questions about his perspective on her story and the situation.
“If October 7th didn’t happen, would we [be] here, talking right now?” she asked.
Yanai’s eyes widened at Doyle’s response.
“Well yeah, actually, we probably would be,” he said.
instagram/moran_stela_yanaiMoran Stela Yanai shared details about her hostage ordeal[/caption]
AFPAidan Doyle had led the pro-Palestine encampment at UCLA[/caption]
ReutersLaw enforcement officers detain a demonstrator, as they clear out the protest at UCLA on May 2, 2024[/caption]