‘My daughter was only saying what Hamas told her to say’

Mother of Israeli captive in Hamas propaganda video responds; Some 200 hostages are currently being held by terrorists in Gaza.

By Israel Today Staff | | Topics: Hamas
Israeli captive Mia Shem speaks from Hamas captivity. Screenshot
Israeli captive Mia Shem speaks from Hamas captivity. Screenshot

Palestinian terrorists are holding between 200 and 250 people hostage in the Gaza Strip, Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida claimed in a televised statement on Monday evening, as the terror group released a video purportedly showing one of the Israeli abductees.

Some 200 hostages are currently being held by Hamas, while around 50 others are in the hands of other terror factions in the Strip, the Hamas propaganda chief claimed.

“We assure our people, our prisoners and their families, in every occupation prison—without exception—that, Inshallah [‘Allah willing’], we are determined to bring joy to every Palestinian home,” said Abu Obeida, apparently hinting at a possible prisoner-exchange deal.

Hamas terrorists killed at least 1,400 Israelis and wounded more than 4,100 in a massive offensive launched from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, which included the firing of thousands of rockets at Israel and the infiltration of the Jewish state by terrorist forces.

The terrorists butchered men, women, children, the elderly, the disabled and even babies—some were decapitated while others were raped or burned alive.

At least 199 hostages, including an unknown number of foreign nationals, were taken to Gaza, Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari announced on Monday.

Abu Obeida confirmed that Hamas was holding prisoner “a group of prisoners of different nationalities,” explaining that its terrorist forces did not have “the opportunity to verify their identities during the battle.”

“Any fighter in the occupation army, we consider him a direct enemy, and we will deal with him accordingly, even if he becomes a prisoner and regardless of his other nationality,” warned the spokesman.

Meanwhile, Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades on Telegram released unverified footage allegedly showing one of the Israeli captives. The video appears to show a young woman receiving medical care in Gaza.

“I’m Mia Shem, 21 years old from Shoham. Currently, I’m in Gaza. I returned early Saturday morning from Sderot—I was at a party. I was seriously injured in my hand,” the woman says, calling on Israel to “get me out of here as soon as possible.”

Shem was kidnapped while taking part in a music festival in the desert near Kibbutz Re’im, where Hamas gunmen also massacred at least 260 festival-goers.

With the video of Shem, Hamas hopes to emphasize its humanity amid a global wave condemnation that now equates the Palestinian group with ISIS and the Nazis.

An IDF spokesman stressed to foreign media this morning that Hamas forgot in the video to let everyone know how Mia was injured and found herself in Gaza in the first place.

The girl’s mother later spoke to Israeli media and said it was clear her daughter was terrified and was “only saying what Hamas told her to say.”

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