Video of the October 7 attacks by Hamas against civilians in the southern Israel, showing some of the targets being held in their homes and broadcast live by the perpetrators themselves, have come to light. More than a week after the attacks, relatives of victims desperate for information are using the videos to try to find out what happened to them, while some have expressed frustration at the lack of progress in the Israeli authorities’ search for their loved ones. persons.
One of them is UK-based Nir Darwish, a relative of a family of five who disappeared from the Nahal Oz kibbutz.
The family – Noam Elyakim, his partner Dikla Arava, her 17-year-old son Tomer and Noam’s two daughters, Daphna, 15, and Ella, 8 – appear to be held in their home by the attackers. The girls, who live with their mother, are believed to have visited their father to celebrate the kibbutz’s 70th anniversary.
But last Monday, the family was informed by authorities that Dikla and Tomer had been killed and that their bodies had been found outside the kibbutz.
Mr Darwish says several photos released by Hamas show Ella and Daphna in captivity. The BBC was unable to independently verify this.
On Tuesday, Mr Darwish told the BBC it had been confirmed that Noam – who was seen in the live video with a leg wound – was dead. His latest photo appears to show him being led by his attackers down a dusty road. Nir, the Elyakims’ cousin, believes the girls are in Gaza and that Hamas is holding them in a tunnel somewhere.
“They are sitting [στις φωτογραφίες] in a mattress and there is no natural light, so this is 100% in Gaza”, he tells the BBC. He adds that enough time passed between the live broadcast and the posting of the photos, which would have given the attackers time to return to Gaza.
Mr Darwish said he and other family members found the girls’ video shocking. He was very pessimistic about what would happen to them. “Nobody wants to go through that and especially when it’s two little girls and especially when you know what’s going to happen to them, because they’re not going to give them water and food and treat them well,” she says.
He said the planned Israeli ground operation was a “big mistake” and believed the military would never find the hostages. The Israeli army says it is using all means to return the prisoners, whose presence in unknown locations in Gaza will significantly complicate any operation.
The girls’ mother Maayan, however, tries to remain optimistic. She spoke to the BBC from her home in Israel. “Stay strong, take care of each other. Look after daddy – daddy will look after you and take care of you,” she says in a message to her daughters.
“We are doing everything to bring you back. We are very strong here. We’ll bring you back.” He describes the girls, saying that one loved to sing, the other to dance, and that they were inseparable.
The BBC has not been able to access the full half hour of the live broadcast of the fighters inside Noam and Dikla’s home, but has seen clips. Filmed on Dikla’s phone, it appears to show the family sitting at home. Noam is injured and losing a lot of blood from what looks like a serious leg injury. At one point, he limps away, accompanied by one of the fighters, after being asked for his ID. His partner and daughters are scared.
Source: News Beast
With 6 years of experience, I bring to the table captivating and informative writing in the world news category. My expertise covers a range of industries, including tourism, technology, forex and stocks. From brief social media posts to in-depth articles, I am dedicated to creating compelling content for various platforms.
