Hamas releases video of women hostages abducted during Oct 7 attacks
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Hamas released a video showing three women who are being held as hostages on Oct 30.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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GAZA – Hamas on Monday released a video it said showed three women from the more than 230 people Israel says were abducted by militants and taken to Gaza during the Oct 7 attacks.
The Palestinian Islamist group referred to the women in the 76-second video as “Zionist detainees”. They were identified by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Yelena Trupanob, Danielle Aloni and Rimon Kirsht.
Sitting on plastic chairs against a white tile wall, Ms Aloni urges Mr Netanyahu to agree a prisoner exchange for the release of all captives.
Speaking in Hebrew, she becomes very agitated and starts shouting, almost screaming by the end, as the other two sitting either side of her remain silent.
“You were supposed to free all of us. You committed to free us all. But instead we are carrying your political, security, military, diplomatic failure,” she said.
The hostages were seized when hundreds of Hamas gunmen stormed across the border into southern Israel and attacked kibbutz communities, towns and military bases.
Their ages range between a few months and more than 80 years old.
Authorities believe they are being held in a giant network of underground tunnels built by Hamas in the besieged territory.
Israel says 1,400 people, mainly civilians, were killed in the worst attacks in Israel’s history,
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says more than 8,300 people, mainly civilians – and more than half women and children – have been killed in Israeli air and ground strikes.
Mr Netanyahu condemned the video as “cruel psychological propaganda”.
In a statement, he delivered a message to the women in the video: “Abducted by Hamas, which is committing war crimes, I embrace you.
“Our hearts are with you and with the other captives. We are doing everything to bring home all the captives and the missing,” he said.
Facing growing domestic pressure over the detainees, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday accused the militants of playing “psychological games” over the hostages’ fate.
On Oct 16, Hamas had released a video showing Israeli-French hostage Mia Shem.
