Rescued hostage's girlfriend decries abuse suffered during Hamas captivity

He asked to leave the bathroom, and if he didn’t knock, they locked him in the bathroom for an hour and made him relieve himself in a pot without even toilet paper.

He showered once a week, so he asked for his hair to be cut. This is just a glimpse into the harsh conditions Andrey Kozlov endured during his captivity by Hamas - until being rescued by the IDF on Saturday.

In an interview with Channel 12, Jennifer, Kozlov’s partner, spoke out for the first time about the abuse he faced.

"They moved houses four times, Andrey, Almog, and Shlomi. In October and November, there was a severe food shortage, so they didn’t eat. They endured very severe psychological abuse, more than physical," she shared.

Jennifer recounted to Channel 12 the emotional rollercoaster of the past eight months, waiting for Kozlov's return.

"I didn’t give up on Andrey. From the first moment I saw Andrey, I wanted him. I love him; he captivated my heart from the first glance, and as I got to know him, I realized how amazing this person is. I didn’t give up on him, and I believed every day that he was alive and would come back alive."

The dramatic rescue operation

She described the dramatic rescue and their reunion. "When I saw him in the hospital, I just grabbed him and hugged him tightly. We just hugged, and Andrey hugged us and simply collapsed to the floor. Without words. Just cried."

Kozlov, a security guard at the Nova party, was kidnapped to Gaza on October 7. "On October 7, while fleeing from the terrorists, he separated from his friend and joined Shlomi Ziv. Together, they got into a car and were kidnapped to Gaza. Last Saturday, he was rescued by the IDF and security forces in the heroic Operation Arnon."

Jennifer spoke to N12 about the impact of captivity on Kozlov. "He came back a different person. Just returned as a fragile and different person. The hardest part for him was being away from his family in captivity. He is very attached to his family."

She shared Kozlov's thoughts during the rescue. "He initially thought they were going to kill him, then they said: 'Andrey, Andrey, it's us. We love you, we are IDF soldiers, come with us.' When he heard that, he was happy and overjoyed, and he couldn’t believe that day had come."

Jennifer expressed her gratitude towards the IDF soldiers. "I'm in love with IDF soldiers; I'm in love with our army, truly. I have no words to thank them. I thank you, and I support you. Really, thank you."