Omer Shemtov shares his hostage ordeal

Over 1500 supporters under 40 recently filled three sold-out UIA Young Leadership events in Sydney and Melbourne to hear returned hostage Omer Shemtov share his story of 505 days in Hamas captivity, as well to support Shavim – UIA’s early-intervention program preventing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Standing on the stage, Shemtov declared, “I am Omer Shemtov, and I am a free man.”

Shemtov spoke of his happiness to be home and of the staged release by Hamas and said, “Yes, it was scary … I could see the real hate in their eyes but I was so happy to go back home.”

He joked about walking across the stage to receive his “Hamas graduation certificate” and being forced to kiss the heads of his captors.

“The cameraman comes up to me and he told me, kiss his forehead and I was hesitating and then, he tells me again, forcefully, kiss his forehead NOW. So, I said to myself, I’m gonna kiss his head and then I’m going to go back home. It doesn’t matter to me.”