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 held hostage 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]

Biography

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,[4] 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 3 months later on November 6, after being identified as "incompatible for service."[3]

On 20 April 2015, al-Sayed wandered into the Gaza Strip and was promptly abducted by Hamas.[5]

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.[6][7] Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett condemned Hamas: "Spreading the clip of a sick man is despicable and an act of desperation."[8]

Al-Sayed is set to be released by Hamas as part of the first phase of the 2025 Israel–Hamas war ceasefire and hostage release.[5][9]

See also

• Avera Mengistu, another Israeli civilian held by Hamas in Gaza (since 2014)
• Deaths and ransoming of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin

References

1. "Analysis: Hamas Publishes Information on an Israeli Held Captive Since 2015". 3 July 2022.
2. "The forgotten Israeli hostages kept by Hamas in Gaza for years". BBC News. 2023-10-21. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
3. "2 Israelis Who Entered Gaza Held Incommunicado | Human Rights Watch". 2017-05-02. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
4. ben-Zvi, Gidon (3 September 2020). "Gaza violence makes headlines, but media mum on Israeli captives". honestreporting.com. Special needs captives
5. "Who is Hisham al-Sayed, the Bedouin Israeli held by Hamas since 2015 set for freedom?". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2025-01-17. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
6. "Hamas releases video of captive Israeli in hospital bed". AP News. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
7. Hisham al-Sayed: Hamas video claims to show captive Israeli
8. Levy, Elior (2022-06-28). "Bennett blasts Hamas for showing Israeli captive with oxygen mask". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
9. Solomon, Eden. "After 10 years, longest-held Israeli hostages due to come home as part of Gaza agreement". Haaretz.com. Archived from the original on 2025-01-16. Retrieved 2025-01-22.