An exhibit replicating a terror tunnel in which hostages are held by Hamas traveled through European cities last week, including Geneva, Brussels and Bern.
An exhibit replicating a terror tunnel in which hostages are held by Hamas travels through European cities
(Video: Foreign Ministry)
Visitors entered a long, narrow corridor, experiencing the harsh conditions of captivity for three minutes, with recordings of Hamas terrorists speaking in Arabic playing in the background.
The exhibit, constructed from a container based on testimonies from released hostages, was organized by the families of the hostages in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry and Jewish communities in Europe.
Upon exiting the container, visitors were shown a video featuring the released hostages, depicting them before and after their abduction.
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An exhibit replicating a terror tunnel in which hostages are held by Hamas travels to Brussels
(Photo: Foreign Ministry)
The exhibit received much media attention in Europe, even in countries that do not typically focus on the Israeli narrative, helping to raise awareness about the issue of hostages.
The exhibit was placed in front of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and in Brussels, it was opened to the public for an entire day at Luxembourg Square opposite the European Parliament. Members of Parliament, politicians and passersby entered the container and were exposed to the horrors.
Israeli Ambassador to Belgium Idit Rosenzweig-Abu said, "The exhibit is very powerful. No one who enters remains indifferent, whether they are an ambassador, a member of parliament or just a passerby.
“The operators make it a point to emphasize that although the exhibit lasts for three minutes, the hostages have been in these conditions for five months.
“The container attracted media attention, and dozens of articles were published on the subject. This is particularly important at a time when the media atmosphere here is very hostile, and coverage of the Israeli narrative is scant."
The Israeli Embassy in Switzerland chose to place the container in the heart of Bern, concurrently with the opening of the local parliament's spring session. Many foreign ambassadors, alongside the mayor of the Canton of Bern, came to view the exhibit.
The embassy reported that "the impression it left on them was noticeable." Israeli Ambassador to Switzerland Ifat Reshef was interviewed by the local media following the exhibit's placement in the city center, where she discussed the issue of the hostages.
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