‘They would say it’s because of Ben Gvir’: Freed hostage Segev Kalfon recalls beatings in captivity

Freed hostage Segev Kalfon speaks with Channel 12 news in an interview aired on November 1, 2025. (X screenshot)
Freed hostage Segev Kalfon speaks with Channel 12 news in an interview aired on November 1, 2025. (X screenshot)

Freed hostage Segev Kalfon recalls how his Hamas captors tortured him while he was held in Gaza, and, similar to other released hostages, says the terrorists who abused him cited far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s push for harsh treatment of Palestinian security prisoners.

“They would beat us with all [their] force, they would put rings on in order to leave marks. There was hemorrhaging on my neck and back. They would say it’s because of Ben Gvir,” Kalfon says in an interview with Channel 12 news. “[The captors] saw a video, they told us they brought dogs in with their prisoners, and they saw how they beat them, and now we need to get it.”

“They would punch us, film us,” Kalfon adds, saying sometimes he and other captives were beaten as frequently as every other day.

He also says “always” when asked if his Palestinian captors would explicitly link the beatings to Ben Gvir.

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