The Hostages and Missing Families Forum released on Monday the video of the capture of hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin (23), Eliya Cohen (26), and Or Levy (33), who were kidnapped on October 7.
The footage, taken from Hamas terrorists’ cameras, included the instances of the kidnapping of the three hostages as well as the time they spent in a mobile shelter.
Goldberg-Polin, Cohen, and Levy all attended the Nova festival. Parts of the video have been blurred as per the families’ requests, the forum noted.
Video is a ‘damning testament’
In a statement published alongside the video, the forum wrote, “This harrowing footage stands as a damning testament to the 262-day-long abandonment of our loved ones. Hersh, Eliya, and Or were taken alive, and they must return alive, today.
Every day that passes puts the hostages at greater risk and diminishes our chances of bringing them back safely.
“After nearly 9 months of fighting and despite recent achievements, it’s clear to everyone that returning all 120 hostages is only possible through a deal! We must approve and implement an agreement that will bring all hostages home – the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for proper burial,” the statement added.
The Forum made an earlier announcement on Monday that the video would be published, stating:
“At the request of the Goldberg-Polin, Levy, and Cohen families, whose loved ones were kidnapped from the “Death Shelter” after fleeing the NOVA Festival in Re’im and remain in Hamas captivity, the Families Forum will release the abduction footage to the public and media. The video, captured by Hamas terrorists’ cameras on October 7, documents the kidnapping of Hersh, Or, and Eliya.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin attended the NOVA Festival with his close friend Aner Shapira, who was murdered. They sought refuge in what became known as the “Death Shelter,” from which Hersh was abducted. During the attack on the field shelter, Hersh’s hand was severed. On April 24, 2024, Hamas released a video of Hersh in captivity, providing his family with the first proof of life.
Or Levy arrived at the NOVA Festival at 06:20 with his wife Einav, who was murdered. Nine minutes later, when the attack began, Or and Einav entered the “Death Shelter.” Einav was murdered there, and Or was taken to Gaza. Tomorrow, Almog, the son of Einav and Or, will celebrate his 3rd birthday without his murdered mother and his father, who has been held captive by Hamas for 262 days.
Eliya Cohen came to the NOVA Festival with his girlfriend Ziv Abud, her nephew, and the nephew’s girlfriend. When the attack began, the four fled to the “Death Shelter,” where Ziv’s nephew and his girlfriend were murdered. Eliya was kidnapped from the shelter, while Ziv survived by being buried under the bodies.”
The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7 when Hamas launched an attack, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking more than 240 hostages into the Gaza Strip.
During the massacre, more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 in the Re’im music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across the Gaza border communities.
120 hostages still remain in Gaza captivity.
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