Hamas releases video of female Israeli soldiers captured | Global News

The recent release of previously withheld footage showing the harrowing capture of five female army conscripts by Hamas gunmen has reignited calls for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure their release and agree to a truce with the militant group.

The three-minute clip, aired on Israeli television, depicts the young women, dressed in pyjamas, being forcibly taken by the gunmen during the Oct. 7 raid that sparked the Gaza war. The captives’ families are hopeful that the footage will increase pressure on the government to take action.

In the video, the women can be seen bound and bundled into a jeep, with one of the captives pleading in English, while the gunmen hurl insults and threats in Arabic. The footage, recovered from bodycams worn by the attackers, was approved for release by the families of the captives.

The Hostages Families Forum, representing relatives of the 124 people still held by Hamas, is urging the Israeli government to return to the negotiating table and secure the release of the captives. The forum also expressed concerns about the well-being of the hostages, fearing they may not survive the ordeal.

As the government continues to push for military pressure on Hamas, the families of the hostages are pleading for their safe return. With allegations of potential sexual abuse by the captors, the urgency to bring the women home is paramount.

International pressure is also mounting, with Israel summoning the ambassadors of Ireland, Norway, and Spain to protest their governments’ preparations to recognize a Palestinian state. The ambassadors will be shown the video in a special screening on Thursday.

The release of the footage has sparked renewed calls for action to bring the captives home and end the ongoing conflict in Gaza.