Hisham al-Sayed
Hisham al-Sayed (Hebrew: הישאם א-סייד; Arabic: هشام السيد, born February 15, 1988)[1] is a Bedouin Arab Israeli civilian who has been captured by Hamas in the Gaza Strip since 2015. Hamas has claimed Al-Sayed is an Israeli soldier but Human Rights Watch has confirmed he is a civilian exempted from military service.[2][3]
On 28 June 2022, Hamas released a video showing a sickly Al-Sayed in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask and an IV drip.[4][5] Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett condemned Hamas: "Spreading the clip of a sick man is despicable and an act of desperation."[6]
Biography
[edit]Hisham al-Sayed was born in 1988 in Al-Sayyid to Manal Al-Sayed and Sha’ban Al-Sayed.[3] He has a mental health condition,[7] loss of hearing, tinnitus and vertigo.[3]
In 2005 he was sent to study in Cyprus, and in 2010 studied in London.[3] In 2010 he was diagnosed with "acute psychotic disorder" and in 2013 with schizophrenia.[3]
Al-Sayed suffered from auditory hallucinations, and took orders from a voice in his head. He entered the West Bank on at least 15 occasions, and was detained by Palestinian Preventative Security at least 3 of those times.[3]
On August 18, 2008, he volunteered for military service, but was discharged less than three months later on November 6, after being identified as "incompatible for service."[3]
See also
[edit]- Avera Mengistu, another Israeli civilian held by Hamas in Gaza (since 2014)
- Deaths and ransoming of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin
References
[edit]- ^ https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2022/07/analysis-hamas-publishes-information-on-an-israeli-held-captive-since-2015.php
- ^ "The forgotten Israeli hostages kept by Hamas in Gaza for years". BBC News. 2023-10-21. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
- ^ a b c d e f g "2 Israelis Who Entered Gaza Held Incommunicado | Human Rights Watch". 2017-05-02. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
- ^ "Hamas releases video of captive Israeli in hospital bed". AP News. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
- ^ Hisham al-Sayed: Hamas video claims to show captive Israeli
- ^ Levy, Elior (2022-06-28). "Bennett blasts Hamas for showing Israeli captive with oxygen mask". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
- ^ Gaza Violence Makes Headlines, but Media Mum on Israeli Captives