The families of several Israeli female soldiers taken hostage during a Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7 released a video of their abduction in an attempt to pressure the Israeli government into reviving stalled cease-fire talks that could lead to the captives’ release. The footage, which was seen by family members a few weeks ago and officially handed over by the Israeli military on Tuesday night, shows Palestinian fighters binding the hands of the five soldiers who served as lookouts at a military base near the Gaza border. At least two of the hostages had bloodied faces and were wearing pajamas, and the militants can be heard threatening them in the video.
Some Israeli politicians used the video as a way to respond to Ireland, Norway, and Spain unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state. Israel Katz, the foreign minister, said he would screen the footage during a reprimand of the countries’ ambassadors. In the video, the fighters can be heard calling the women “dogs” and making threats towards them. Hamas claimed that the scenes in the video were unconfirmed and that the translation provided by Israeli authorities was incorrect and included phrases that were not actually said by the militants.
Talks to secure the release of the more than 125 hostages still held in Gaza have been stalled since Israel’s assault on the city of Rafah in May. Israeli forces retrieved the bodies of four individuals abducted on Oct. 7, leading to heightened fears for the remaining captives. The families of the hostages identified in the video met with senior Israeli leaders to advocate for an immediate agreement with Hamas. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum described the video as a damning testament to the nation’s failure to bring home the hostages who have been held for 229 days.
Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and member of the war cabinet, Benny Gantz, met with families of the hostages to discuss potential actions to bring them home. Gantz expressed shock at the footage of the abduction and pledged to make difficult decisions if necessary to free the remaining captives. The leader of Israel’s parliamentary opposition, Yair Lapid, called the video a reminder of the evil present in Gaza. The video was recorded by body cameras worn by the Hamas militants who abducted the soldiers and was released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum as part of their efforts to bring attention to the issue and pressure the government into action.
