What it is about
The Hostage Family Forum released a powerful, heart-wrenching video in response to broadcasting authorities’ decision to decline airing it on public platforms. The video graphically suggests that female hostages, held captive by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, were raped and impregnated during their harrowing ordeal.
Why it matters
This alarming revelation casts a spotlight on the continual humanitarian abuses perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli citizens. The shocking use of sexual violence against female hostages elucidates the barbaric lengths to which these terrorists are willing to go, and underscores the urgent need for global intervention for their release.
Key details
The video, described as grotesqe yet informative, shows a person with a pregnant belly situated in a wrecked tunnel, with the haunting sound of a crying infant in the background. Despite its importance, only parts of the video were approved for public viewing.
The footage carries a poignant caption saying, “It’s been more than 9 months” — the duration of a typical human pregnancy—implying the broad timeline of suffering endured by these female hostages.
Background and Response
Many of these horrifying actions follow the debilitating October 7 attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza, orchestrated by Hamas. In the months since, reports and evidence have further exposed the severe treatment lashed out by Hamas on their captives, including acts of brutality and sexual violence.
The Hostage Family Forum has relentlessly strived to spread awareness and rally international support for the hostages’ release. Their video brings to light the dark atrocity women in captivity face and highlights the urgency and humanity behind their cause.
This appalling situation calls for an immediate international response and universal condemnation to help liberate these innocent women and bring justice to their captors. Israel remains committed to the unwavering belief that every captured soul must be returned and every violation of human rights must be met with absolute steadfastness and resilience.
This story was first published on jpost.com.