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Jerusalem: The mother of a young Israeli woman held by Hamas appealed for her release on Tuesday, calling the seizure of some 200 hostages by the Palestinian militant group “a crime against humanity”.
A day earlier, Hamas’ military wing released a video showing a dazed Mia Shem, 21, having her arm wrapped with bandages. It was the first sign of life from any of the hostages since Gaza-based gunmen smashed through border fortifications on October 7, killing more than 1400 people in Israel.
Keren Shem’s daughter Mia is being held hostage by Hamas.Credit: AP
The New York Times reported that the video’s metadata suggested it was filmed at least six days ago. The video ends with her plea to be returned to Israel.
“I just ask that I am returned as fast as possible to my family, to my parents, and to my siblings,” Mia reportedly says. “Please get us out of here as quickly as possible.”
Her mother Keren Shem said at a news conference that she didn’t know if her daughter was dead or alive until yesterday (Monday).
“All I knew is that she might be kidnapped. I’m begging the world to bring my baby back home. She only went to a party, to a festival party to have some fun. Now she’s in Gaza.”
Mia was seized at a desert rave just over the border from Gaza that became the site of what is believed to be the worst civilian massacre in Israeli history. At least 260 people were gunned down as heavily armed militants in trucks and on motorcycles barrelled through the vast field on Kibbutz Re’im where thousands had gathered for a carefree night of electronic music.
Civilians and soldiers, young and old, Israelis and non-Israelis were among at least 199 people taken into captivity from Re’im and other areas in southern Israel.
“This is a crime against humanity and we should all gather and stop this terror and bring everybody back home,” Keren Shem said.
A still image of Mia Shem from a Hamas hostage video.
The plight of the hostages has dominated Israel’s media since the attack. The seizure of so many civilian hostages is unprecedented in Israel’s history, and interviews with relatives are broadcast throughout the day.
The Israeli military said Shem’s family was told of her abduction last week, and officials dismissed the video as propaganda designed to make Hamas look humane. Israeli officials have vowed to maintain a siege on Gaza until the hostages are released.
Mia Shem has dual nationality with France, and on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron decried the hostage-taking.
“To have taken hostages, both civilian and military, of all nationalities and to use blackmail at this time is absolutely odious and unacceptable,” Macron said at a news conference in Albania.
France, he added, was working with Israeli authorities and with Hamas through third parties to win the release of French and other hostages.
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