Video Released by Families of Israeli Hostages Shows Female Soldiers Being Captured by Hamas

In a shocking new development, a group representing the families of hostages held in Gaza has released video footage showing the capture of five female Israeli soldiers by Hamas near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. The video, taken by Hamas militants who stormed the Nahal Oz military base, shows the young soldiers bloody and wounded, with one militant even telling a terrified woman she is beautiful.

According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, seven female soldiers working as lookouts on the border with Gaza were taken captive from Nahal Oz, all aged 19 or 20. While the army managed to rescue one woman early in the war and confirmed the death of another in Hamas captivity, the fate of the five women in the video remains unknown.

The release of the footage, which was recently declassified by the Israeli army and handed over to the women’s families, is an attempt to pressure the government into reaching a cease-fire deal with Hamas to secure the release of the hostages. The forum emphasized the urgent need to bring the women back home and called on the government to act swiftly.

Hamas has dismissed the video as a “manipulated excerpt” with unverifiable authenticity, claiming that the injuries and blood on the soldiers were to be expected in such operations. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in significant casualties, with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting about 35,000 Palestinian deaths.

The harrowing footage shows the female soldiers being bound and mistreated by militants, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution to the conflict to ensure the safe return of the hostages.