Group representing hostages release video shedding light on atrocities of Hamas terrorism
The footage was taken by Hamas militants who stormed the Nahal Oz military base, part of the militant group’s wider assault on southern Israel that killed roughly 1,200 people and took about 250 others hostage. Seven female soldiers who worked as lookouts on the border with Gaza were taken captive from Nahal Oz, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. All were 19 or 20.
The Israeli army rescued one of the women early in the war in a ground operation and said a second was killed in Hamas captivity. The five women in the video are believed to still be held by Hamas.
‘We must bring them home’
“Every new testimony about what happened to the hostages echoes the same tragic truth — we must bring them all back home, now,” the forum shared via a statement to AP. “The Israeli government must not waste another moment.”
In a heartfelt plea, Franklin Graham, President of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), has urged people worldwide to remember the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7. Among the captives are five young Israeli women, aged 19 and 20, whose families have released a video to raise awareness about their desperate situation and to appeal for any action that could lead to their safe return.
‘We can’t forget the hostages’
“We can’t forget the hostages. The families of five young Israeli women brutalized and taken captive on October 7 by Hamas have released a video to heighten awareness of their plight and to plead for any action that would return these young women home—all were 19 or 20 years old. You can only imagine the gut-wrenching emotions of these parents,” Graham said. He called on people to join him in prayer for the safe release of all innocent hostages and for a peace that only God can bring.
The appeal highlights the ongoing crisis and the need for international attention and action to resolve the situation and ensure the hostages’ safe return. The video released by the families aims to put a human face on the tragedy and galvanize global support. As the situation continues to unfold, Graham’s call for prayer underscores the power of collective hope and faith in times of deep crisis.