The terrorist organization Hamas released video of three of the women it is holding hostage, having seized them during its massive surprise attack on Israel on October 7.
In the video, the woman in the center between two others speaks to the cameras, apparently addressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She has been identified as Daniel Aloni, who was kidnapped while she and her daughter were visiting family at Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas’ attack. The other two women were identified as Ramon Kirsht (left) and Yelena Trupanov.
“On October 7, there was no army and no one came to us,” Aloni says, according to captions translated into English, reportedly by Israeli Defense Forces. “We are paying the price for your political and military stance. Release the Palestinians from your prisons to free us. You must free us all now.”
It was unclear whether Aloni’s words were her own or were fed to her by Hamas, or how much duress she was under at the time, though she does appear to become angry as she speaks.
Some 1,400 people were killed in Hamas’ October 7 attack, and more than 200 were taken hostage, including dozens of kids. At the outset of the war, Hamas threatened to execute a hostage every time an Israeli airstrike hits Gazan civilians in their homes.
The death toll in Gaza had risen to more than 8,300 as of Monday, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Hamas has released four women from among the hostages, two elderly Israeli women and a mother and daughter from Illinois who were reportedly let go because the mother is in poor health.
Officials from Qatar and Egypt have been negotiating for all of the hostages’ release.
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