Gruesome details of the sexual torture inflicted by Hamas on the victims of October 7 are revealed in Sheryl Sandberg’s new documentary … as the sisters of a missing hostage plead for her release

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A new documentary reveals gruesome details of sexual torture by Hamas on October 7. The sisters of one of the hostages are pleading for her release.

The 60-minute film “Screams Before Silence,” created by Israeli production company Kastina Communications and presented by Sheryl Sandberg, was shown at the Southampton Arts Center on Wednesday evening.

The film sheds light on the atrocities and sexual violence against women and girls – especially those who deny these acts.

Nearly 100 people gathered for the private screening with special guests – Shani, 26, and May Yerushalmi, 21, whose sister Eden, 24, has been held captive in Gaza for nearly 300 days.

In the deeply emotional film, Sandberg is seen speaking with eyewitnesses, released hostages, survivors, first responders, and medical and forensic experts.

In an earlier interview, she told the Wall Street Journal that her participation in the documentary was “the most important work of my life.”

Sandberg has been outspoken against Hamas’ use of sexual violence as a war tactic. In December, she told the United Nations that “rape should never be used as an act of war,” CNN reported.

In the film, Sandberg interviews Dr. Ayelet Levy Shachar, the mother of Naama Levy, whose 19-year-old daughter and IDF soldier was kidnapped and is still being held hostage by the terrorist group.

Seeing those horrific moments on October 7, which were unbearable to watch, Levy said her daughter’s face looked “horrified.”

“She’s barefoot and wearing pajamas that are stained with blood,” she said. “They’re grabbing her hair and she looks completely wiped out.”

“I think about what she has experienced up to this point and how long she…” her voice trailed off.

“Maybe it’s because that’s how it is in the video. We want to believe that’s not possible – that no one would hurt a young girl, but then you see it there,” she said through tears.

“They are the ones who posted the video – Hamas.”

Tali Biner, survivor of the Nova Music Festival, returned to the venue with Sandberg and showed her the white trailer where she had hidden for seven hours.

“Two of my friends were here. One was here. We were lying on the floor. My head was here. My legs were bent,” she explained.

She appeared shaken as she recalled the haunting screams and cries she had heard from women and girls nearby – which lasted for 15 to 20 minutes – screams that did not stop, she said.

She told Sandberg that she too feared for her life and thought she was going to be raped. She told her that she began to calculate in her mind “what was worse: being kidnapped, raped or shot.”

When asked by Sandberg, who seemed equally shocked about how the screaming ended in these cases, Biner replied: “They were shot. Then there was silence.”

Amit Soussana was held hostage for 55 days and was the first person to publicly admit that he was sexually abused during his captivity, the New York Times reported.

She said her “instinct was just to fight” when she was surrounded by 10 men. “I wanted to show them that I am strong and that they will not take me so easily.”

But she also shared the darkest fears that were going through her mind.

“I didn’t mind being killed. I think I even preferred it in those moments. I was scared, I was really scared.”

“That they would rape me there and drag me through the streets of Gaza and parade my body around. I was more afraid of that than being killed.”

After the film there was a question and answer session moderated by Christina Cuomo.

With their translator Orif Caspi at their side, the sisters told the audience what they are doing to keep their sister’s voice alive and how important it was to bring their sister and all the other hostages home.

They describe their sister as a cheerful person with many friends, who is always the center of attention at every party, loves to dance and laugh. Before October 7, she worked as a waitress and lived with friends in Tel Aviv.

Shani said the last time they saw her sister, they all met for dinner. She was on her way to the Nova Music Festival with two work colleagues.

She remembered that Eden was excited to go to the festival to work and play. It would also be her first job as a bartender.

When she arrived in the Negev desert, she spent part of the early morning hours partying and dancing with friends – until at 6:30 a.m. the music stopped and gunshots and bloodcurdling screams could be heard.

She called her family to tell them that a terrorist attack was taking place and soon watched as her friends were murdered when terrorists shot at her car.

Shani said Eden told her she heard blood dripping from the gunshot wounds and as she played dead, one of her friends’ lifeless bodies fell on her.

When she found the courage to run away, she hid behind a small bush. “Ants were biting her face. She was so scared. She could hardly breathe,” Shani remembers.

For nearly three hours, the nurses stayed on the phone, trying to comfort her, telling her to breathe – until she told them in a whispered voice in Hebrew, “Shani… they got me… they got me.”

The sisters said they were terrified and remained silent to hear what was happening. At that moment they heard the terrorist say “Ta al” to Eden in Arabic, which means “come, get up,” and the line went dead.

The sisters have had no sign of life for almost nine months.

They spoke to other released female hostages who reported the sexual abuse they had suffered.

“It’s terrifying to think about what Eden is going through in captivity,” Shani said, “and what condition she might be in.”

But they try to keep their minds on things and stay positive as they continue to tell their story and focus on bringing it home.

The invitation-only event was hosted by Simone Levinson, co-founder of the Southampton Arts Center, and philanthropist Liz Cohen Hausman, who brought the film to South Hampton after attending Sandberg’s premiere in New York.

Other attendees included Fernanda Niven, granddaughter of Oscar winner David Niven, Zibby Owens – daughter of billionaire Stephen Schwarzman and Marie Chantal von Greece, and Prince Pavlos, among others.

Sandberg, a former COO of META, was not present at Wednesday night’s screening. After the film, many seemed visibly shaken by the brutality, while others felt inspired to do more.

More than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and over 240 hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7. About 100 hostages were released during a temporary ceasefire that ended on December 1, 2023.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Israel currently has 116 hostages in captivity, including the bodies of at least 42 of them.