Protesters during an anti-government demonstration demanding action to secure the release of Israeli hostages held since the October 7 attacks by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in front of the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv on September 10, 2024. Photo Credit: AFP
The Israeli army has released a video footage. Gaza Tunnel where it says Six Hostages were recently killed by Hamas. The video shows a narrow, low passage below ground, with no toilets and poor ventilation.
The discovery of the hostages’ bodies last month sparked widespread anger in Israel and the release of the new video could increase pressure on the prime minister. benjamin netanyahu A ceasefire agreement would have to be reached with Hamas to bring back the remaining hostages.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagar said on Tuesday (September 10, 2024) that footage of the Gaza tunnel was shown to the families of the hostages, and that it was “very difficult for them to see how their loved ones survived in those conditions.”
He said evidence suggested the six men were protecting each other when they were killed, though he did not specify what that evidence was.
The six men included Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, a resident of Berkeley, California, whose parents had waged a high-profile global campaign for his release. Goldberg-Polin lost part of his left arm from a grenade in the October 7 attack that sparked the war in Gaza. In April, Hamas released a video showing him alive, triggering protests in Israel. The army identified the others as Ori Danino, 25, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Almog Sarousi, 27, Alexander Lobanov, 33, and Carmel Gat, 40.
Three of the six, including Goldberg-Polin, were reportedly to be released in the first phase of a ceasefire proposal discussed in July, but anger flared further when they were found dead.
Tunnel under the kids room
Hagari said pathology tests on the bodies of six people found by the army in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Saturday, August 31, showed they were killed on the night of August 29. The army found a tunnel shaft underneath the children’s room and proceeded cautiously through it because of the risk of bomb traps, and found the bodies in an area behind an iron door about 120 meters into the tunnel.
The tunnel was low and narrow, making it hard to breathe inside because of the humidity, Hagri said, adding that Israeli soldiers found evidence that indicated the hostages and “at least two terrorists” had been there for more than a few days. He said the soldiers found a sack full of bottles of urine and a bucket dug into the ground. Mattresses, clothes, assault rifle magazines and shells were also found, as well as some food items, mainly energy bars and tuna. He said there were blood stains on the floor.
Hagar said the army had killed two militants on Friday trying to escape from a complex of tunnels where the hostages were found and that it was “likely” they were the two who killed the hostages. He said DNA tests were being carried out to confirm this.
Hamas kidnapped about 250 people during the October 7 attack. More than 100 were released during a brief ceasefire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians held by Israel. Israeli forces have rescued eight people, while Israeli troops mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages who escaped captivity in December. Israeli officials say 101 hostages are still in captivity, 35 of whom are believed to be dead.
Hamas has offered to release the hostages in exchange for an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants. But talks on a ceasefire have failed to reach any agreement.
Published – September 10, 2024 11:22 pm IST