Hamas Releases First Video Of Hostage Held Inside Gaza; It's A Franco-Israeli Woman
Hamas has released a video showing an injured Israeli woman taken hostage during the October 7 attacks that left over 1,300 dead and triggered a war in Gaza. About 250 people were reportedly taken hostage during the attacks.
What's happening?
Hamas' military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, has released a video of the woman who identified herself as 21-year-old Miya Schem.?
In the video released by Hamas, Schem says she¡¯s being given medical care and pleads to go home as soon as possible.?In the 78-second video, Schem's injured arm is shown being treated by an unidentified medical worker.
"They're caring for me, they're treating me, they're giving me medication. Everything is okay," she says. "I'm only asking to be returned home as soon as possible, to my family, to my parents, to my siblings. Please get us out of here as soon as possible."??
It's unclear if she's being forced to make the statement.
Where and when?
It's unclear?when the video was shot, but Hamas released it on Monday night. Analysis by the New York Times suggests parts of it were filmed six days ago. However, the hostage has said in the video that she is in Gaza.
She was attending the Supernova Sukkot Music Festival on Kibbutz Re'im when Hamas operatives attacked the gathering on October 7.
Why has the video been released?
A senior Hamas leader said the militant group "has what it needs" to free all Palestinians in Israel's jails.
Earlier, Khaled Meshaal, a former Hamas chief who now heads its diaspora office in Doha, spoke to AlAraby TV and said it will spare no effort in using its captives as leverage to free 6,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
The militant organisation said that a total of 250 people were being held hostage in Gaza and that they would be released "when conditions are ripe".?
Who is she?
Mia Schem is a 21-year-old Israeli national. Schem, who also reportedly has French citizenship, was abducted on 7 October from the Supernova festival, where hundreds were killed.
Her family, which is one of a group of French families that publicly appealed last week to President Emmanuel Macron to help free their missing relatives, confirmed her identity to Reuters.Schem's family told Israeli media of their joy at seeing the video of her, with Schem's aunt, named as Galit, calling it "a very significant step". "She looks hurt and scared ¨C but at least she's alive," she is quoted as saying.
How is the current situation?
Death toll from overnight Israeli air raids rises to 71 after attacks on Rafah and three homes bombed in Khan Younis.The heaviest bombardments occurred in three areas in the south of Gaza: Khan Younis, Rafah and Deir el-Balah.Many of those killed are families who evacuated from Gaza City and the northern part of the Strip as ordered by Israel.
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