- By Kamal Kumar
- Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:07 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Israel-Hamas War: Late on Monday, Hamas released a video featuring Mia Schem, one of the approx 200 hostages captive in Gaza following the group's cross-border assault on Israel nine days ago. The 60-second footage, the first from the group showing any of the hostages, opens with 21-year-old Schem undergoing medical treatment for an injury above her right elbow, with her arm being wrapped in bandages by an off-camera person.
In the next scene, Mia can be heard talking directly to the camera in Hebrew language. “Hi, I’m Mia Shem, 21 years old from Shoham. At the moment I am in Gaza,” She said. Mia Schem, a resident of Shoham in central Israel was taken hostage by Hamas' fighters after they raided Supernova music festival outside Re'im. More than 250 people were killed in the gruesome rampage.
“I returned early Saturday morning from Sderot; I was at a party. I was seriously injured in my hand. I underwent surgery on my hand at the hospital [in Gaza] for 3 hours," Shem who has French citizenship could be seen saying. Reportedly her parents had requested French president Emmanuel Macron to help free their daughter. Israeli Defence Forces also corroborated her identity and said that efforts are underway to secure the return of all hostages.
Watch:
Hamas releases its first footage of a hostage. The group says it is providing medical treatment to her. Though I think this is a poor attempt to show they are treating the hostages well. The hostage appears to be Israeli. pic.twitter.com/JDATGYenCr
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) October 16, 2023
However, IDF also condemned Hamas for trying to portray itself as 'humane', reported the Guardian. The video which Hamas released on its official Telegram channel also shows Mia Schem praising the medical assistance she got. She said that she is being taken care of and she underwent a three-hour elbow surgery in Gaza.
The video ends with her plea to return to her home in Israel.
“I just ask that I am returned as fast as possible to my family, to my parents, and my siblings,” she says. “Please get us out of here as quickly as possible," she said in the video.
On Monday, Israeli authorities reported that Hamas was holding 199 people captive, an increase of about 50 from previous estimates, following the attack that resulted in over 1,400 casualties. In response, Israel has launched intense airstrikes on Gaza, the Palestinian territory under Hamas control, and has also issued threats of a potential ground invasion. Hamas contends that some of the captives have been killed in the airstrikes, but it is impossible to independently verify this claim.