On Wednesday, Israeli television broadcast previously unreleased footage showing five female army conscripts in pajamas being captured by Hamas gunmen during the October 7 raid that sparked the Gaza war. The families of the captives hoped that this footage would increase pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to negotiate a truce with Hamas and secure the release of the hostages.
The families of the captives were optimistic that the released footage would exert more pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, compelling him to negotiate a truce with Hamas and ensure the safe return of the hostages.
The Netanyahu government viewed the publication of the subtitled three-minute clip to both national and international media as a chance to bolster its support.
“These girls are still in the captivity of Hamas. Please don’t look away,” government spokesperson David Mencer told reporters. “Watch the film. Support Israel in bringing our people home.”
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A censored version of a longer video from the horrifying moments when young female IDF observers were violently abducted by Hamas on 7.10. This video is now released with the approval of the families. #BringThemHomeNow pic.twitter.com/p4CuLUJ9Cv— Elad Simchayoff (@Elad_Si) May 22, 2024
The video captures the young women, visibly shocked and some with blood, as they are tied up and forcibly loaded into a jeep.
“I have friends in Palestine,” one of the conscripts, 19-year-old Naama Levy, pleads in English.
In Arabic, one of the gunmen can be heard yelling, ‘You are dogs! We will trample you like dogs!’
The Hostages Families Forum, which advocates for the relatives of the 124 individuals—mostly civilians—currently in captivity by Hamas, reported that the footage was retrieved from body cameras worn by the assailants who targeted the Nahal Oz base in southern Israel. These women were serving as surveillance spotters at the base.
The Hostages Families Forum urgently calls upon the Israeli government to resume negotiations without delay!
Following the October 7 attack led by Hamas, Israel reported that 1,200 people lost their lives, with over 250 individuals being abducted. In response, Israel initiated an offensive aimed at dismantling the Islamist group. According to Gaza health authorities, the conflict resulted in the deaths of more than 35,000 Palestinians. Additionally, Israel’s military confirmed that 286 Israeli soldiers were killed during the same period.
According to Netanyahu’s government, sustained military pressure will compel Hamas to relent. However, families of the hostages are deeply concerned that their loved ones may not survive, particularly the female captives who face the risk of sexual assault. Hamas has refuted allegations of such abuse by its members.
“So please, please do whatever you can to, to bring them home,” Orly Gilboa, whose daughter Daniela is a hostage, told Reuters. “They suffer there every minute, every second. And every minute is important.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the ambassadors of Ireland, Norway, and Spain to protest their governments’ plans to recognize a Palestinian state. As part of this protest, the ambassadors will be shown a video during a special screening on Thursday.
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