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The horrific footage of the abduction of IDF female lookouts from the Nahal Oz base, captured by Hamas terrorists' body cameras on October 7, has left the families of the kidnapped in shock. They shared the video to rally support for those still in captivity.
Shira Elbag, mother of kidnapped lookout Liri Elbag, spoke on Wednesday evening about the reasons behind their decision to release the challenging footage. "After 229 days, 5,496 hours, we realize that every minute feels like an eternity. Time is running out for our daughters and all the hostages," she said.
"In the video, Liri and the other girls appear heroic and brave. Despite witnessing their friends being murdered, surrounded by terrorists and embroiled in gunfire, they try not to panic, to stay brave and not fall apart. It’s incredibly hard. As I speak about it, I cry, but I know Liri and all the girls are brave, and I believe they will come home. We must ensure that decision-makers here and the world do not forget what happened and continues to happen to our daughters."
Yoni Levy, father of Naama Levy, admitted he has watched the video multiple times. "It doesn't get any easier," he said. "The mortal fear in Naama's eyes chills me, but she tries to survive, speaking to them and saying, 'I have friends in Palestine.' She clings to life amid all the horror, the bodies, and the smells around. It’s astounding."
He explained their decision to share the video: "We only see three minutes, but there were probably hours of uncensored and unedited footage. These three minutes distill the horror of the first hours. Today, we’re talking about 330,000 minutes since then; for them, this video hasn’t ended. They are still living this nightmare. This is our great frustration and helplessness. Does the viewers' stomachs turn?
"330,000 minutes they’ve lived this, and this is our cry. While people talk about Saudi Arabia, the kidnapped are being sidelined. There’s nothing more urgent than bringing them and all 128 captives back. Israel is strong and just enough to hold each of these murderers accountable. Now let’s do the most ethical and Jewish thing—redeem the captives. We need to act now, no more delays. Enough is enough."
Following the video's release, hundreds of demonstrators held spontaneous protests across the country. Dozens protested in central Tel Aviv, chanting, "Wake up, bring the girls home already."
Efrat Mor, mother of Eitan Mor who was kidnapped from the party in Re'im, sent a message of solidarity to the parents of the lookouts: "I want to send them a big hug," she said. "We are all in the same boat, and we all pray for their safe return, along with all the other captives. In the horror video, you can see the human beasts being cruel to these dear girls, the daughters of Israel. This video only highlights that we cannot rely on these human beasts; we must continue the intense war against Hamas. Their fate is death. They trampled our honor, and we will not let them do it again."
Ditza Or, mother of Avinatan Or who was kidnapped from the party in Re'im with his partner Noa Argamani, added: "Our hearts break for what these sweet girls, the lookouts, went through and are still enduring. We are horrified by it and embrace the mothers and families wholeheartedly. What our monstrous neighbors did to us, to our daughters, to our sons, and are still doing, strips them of any right to exist on this earth—they do not have the right to a single moment of breath," she said.
"We are here to wipe them off the face of the earth; we are on a mission of justice, a mission of light, and we will ensure they no longer exist on this earth. We come in the name of justice and the power of the Creator in our hands. We are his representatives here to make the whole world a better place, a place of peace. We are here to bring all these girls home and all the captives, and to restore security to the State of Israel for generations, without abandoning it to anyone else."
On October 7 at the Nahal Oz base, 15 lookouts were murdered, and seven were abducted to Gaza. Ori Megidish was rescued by IDF forces after 23 days in captivity. Noa Marciano was murdered by Hamas terrorists while in captivity, and her body was returned by the IDF for burial in Israel. Five lookouts have been in Hamas captivity for 229 days: Liri Elbag, Karina Araiv, Agam Berger, Daniela Gilboa, and Naama Levy.
According to a statement from the families of the kidnapped, "The video, which is 3 minutes and 10 seconds long, has been edited and censored, omitting the most difficult parts, including the many murdered at the Nahal Oz base, the murdered inside the bunker from which the lookouts were abducted, and numerous violent scenes. It shows the violent, humiliating, and degrading treatment the girls endured on the day of their abduction, and the immense fear visible in their eyes."
Last month, Ynet revealed the video had been shown to both the small and expanded cabinets, but many ministers chose not to watch it. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has shown some reticence in the past about formulating a deal with Hamas to return all the hostages, addressed those who did watch the video, saying: "Do you deliberately not want to sleep well at night?"