The Abductee Who Returned: "The Terrorists Are Ruthless, Driven by Hatred for Jews"

Maya Shem, one of the abductees who returned from captivity, recently arrived in New York as a special guest at the "Shurat HaDin" conference to combat anti-Semitism. The conference, attended by dozens of leading Jewish organizations and pro-Israel American figures, discussed the state of the abductees. "The next president elected in the United States must do everything to release the abductees," she declared in her speech.

She further described her experiences from captivity in Gaza and emphasized: "I was not abducted because of a dispute over land or policy. It was a violent act devised to harm innocent civilians—friends who came to celebrate youth and became victims of boundless cruelty." She added: "I am here to demand that the greatest power in the world act to release all the abductees, not some of them, not a part—everyone. They suffer every day, and no one responds to their cries."

Speaking about the day of the massacre, she recounted: "The people who captured me are ruthless terrorists whose cruelty knows no bounds. They act out of deep hatred for Israel and the Jewish people—not out of a desire for peace. We are dealing with people whose ideology is based on the destruction of innocents."

The conference, led by attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner from "Shurat HaDin," aimed to strengthen American public opinion against anti-Semitism and enhance cooperation among Jewish organizations in the U.S. ahead of the elections. Alongside Shem, pro-Israeli figures such as Douglas Murray, Alan Dershowitz, Michael Rapaport, and Israel's Consul in New York, Ophir Akunis, who declared: "Israel will continue to defend its citizens on all fronts, in the Middle East and beyond. Our enemies are not seeking a political solution or reconciliation; they are acting to expand terror."

As recalled, during her visit, Shem visited the gravesite of the Lubavitcher Rebbe with her mother. "It's hard to believe where I was a year ago, and here I am today, praying for everyone," Shem wrote to her followers. "Please Hashem, may our prayers reach the heavens, and may everyone return home."