The families of seven Israeli female soldiers taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 have released graphic video footage of the abduction to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government into securing their release. The video, which shows the women bound and visibly injured, was originally released by Hamas and later obtained by the Hostages Families Forum from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
These women, all serving as IDF observers, were captured during a Hamas raid on the Nahal Oz military base near the Gaza Strip. The Hostages Families Forum criticized the government’s response and urged immediate negotiations to bring the hostages back. The Hostages Families Forum described it as a stark reminder of the government’s failure to secure their release after over seven months.
⚠️ Families of several female hostages held hostage for 230 days release footage from the day of their kidnapping
📹 – @ariel_oseran pic.twitter.com/LXvsqeaDmF
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Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his shock and reiterated his commitment to rescuing the hostages, condemning the actions of Hamas. He emphasized that such cruelty only strengthens his resolve to defeat Hamas.
War cabinet minister Benny Gantz, after viewing the video, acknowledged its disturbing nature and stressed the need for leaders to confront these harsh realities and make difficult decisions to change the situation.
The release of the video has evoked strong reactions from the Israeli public and the hostages’ families. Naama Levy’s mother criticized the government for not prioritizing the hostages’ release, noting that some officials even refused to watch the video. She stressed the importance of raising public awareness about the hostages’ plight.
Since the October 7 attacks, Israel has been engaged in a prolonged conflict with Hamas in Gaza, resulting in significant casualties. Efforts to negotiate a hostage-for-ceasefire deal have repeatedly failed, causing frustration among those advocating for the hostages’ release.
Although a release deal in November freed over 100 hostages, around 130 remain captive in Gaza. Hamas recently stated that Israel’s rejection of a ceasefire plan has set back negotiations to the starting point, complicating efforts to free the captives.
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