A shocking video has emerged, revealing the horrifying abduction of three Israeli hostages by gun-toting Hamas terrorists at the Nova Festival. The distressing footage, released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, shows the hostages, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Or Levy, and Eliyah Cohen, covered in blood as they are driven back to Gaza in a white truck. The terrorists can be heard shouting “Allahu Akbar” while brandishing their weapons in celebration.
Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli American citizen, is seen with a bone protruding from his arm, a result of a grenade explosion during the attack. Despite his severe injuries, he remains sitting up, while Levy, 33, and Cohen, 26, appear relatively motionless in the truck’s bed. The terrorists revel in their triumph, displaying a disturbing level of joy as they capture the festival-goers.
The families of the hostages, who granted permission for the video’s release, have expressed mixed emotions upon viewing it. Michael Levy, Or Levy’s brother, described the relief of seeing his brother alive but expressed horror at the graphic scenes. He mentioned that the blood on Levy’s clothes likely belonged to his wife, Eynav, who was tragically murdered in front of him during the festival. Michael also highlighted the terrorists’ evident pleasure in inflicting suffering, which he found particularly distressing.
The Levy family has been profoundly affected by the kidnapping, with Levy and Eynav’s young son experiencing significant emotional distress. The child frequently asks about his parents and breaks down when witnessing other children being picked up by their mothers and fathers from school.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s mother, has not yet found the strength to watch the video herself. She emphasized that the footage, depicting her son covered in blood with a jagged bone exposed and being forcibly made to face the camera, is unnecessary to witness. Rachel hopes that the video, like previous ones featuring her son and other hostages, will raise awareness about the eight Americans among the approximately 120 hostages still held in Gaza after nine months of war. She also urges Israeli and American leaders to exert every effort to secure the hostages’ release and bring an end to the ongoing conflict, which has caused immense suffering for countless individuals in Israel and Gaza.
1 Response
This video is truly disturbing and highlights the ongoing tensions in the region. I would be interested to hear the author’s thoughts on the impact of such incidents on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the prospects for peace in the region.