Family appeal for her release after Hamas release a video showing her alive
17 October 2023 - 16:01
by Agency Staff
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An aerial view shows Kibbutz Kfar Aza in the aftermath of a deadly attack by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, October 15 2023. Picture: ILAN ROSENBERG/REUTERS
Tel Aviv — The family of a 21-year-old French-Israeli woman seized by Hamas during its surprise onslaught near the Gaza Strip last week appealed for her release on Tuesday after the Islamist group released a video showing her alive.
In the footage released by Hamas late on Monday, Mia Schem, whose injured arm is shown being treated by an unidentified medical worker, identifies herself and asks to be returned to her family as quickly as possible.
“I saw that she was in stable condition but I am very worried about her,” her mother, Keren Schem, told reporters at a press conference, holding a photo of her daughter, who was seized at a dance party, along with many of the other hostages abducted into Gaza.
“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 and now she’s in Gaza.”
Israel says 199 hostages were taken to Gaza during the militants’ raid last week, which killed 1,300 people, the largest number of dead in a single day in Israel’s 75-year history.
The video of Schem was the first such footage released by Hamas since the attack and comes ahead of what is expected to be a major ground operation in Gaza by Israeli forces, which have bombarded the enclave for days, killing more than 2,700 Gazans.
“This is psychological warfare,” an Israeli army spokesperson said of the video. “With the goals of this war to dismantle Hamas, the hostages remain a key priority in balancing our efforts.”
The Israeli military has said it is in constant touch with Schem’s family and is using “all intelligence and operational measures” for the return of the captives, whose presence at unknown locations in Gaza will greatly complicate any operation.
“Now she is in Gaza, and she is not the only one,” Keren Schem said. “There are many children who went to this party, there are many babies, and children, and old people, and Holocaust survivors that were kidnapped,” she said.
“This is a crime against humanity, and we should all gather, and stop this terror, and bring everybody back home.”
France’s foreign ministry on Tuesday described the video as vile. It said 21 French nationals have been killed and another 11 are missing.
“Several are very likely hostages of Hamas. This is the case of a national, whose vile staging by Hamas in a video France condemns,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Earlier, Hamas’ armed wing said non-Israelis kidnapped on October 7, were “guests” who would be released “when circumstances allow”.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
French-Israeli woman held in Gaza
Family appeal for her release after Hamas release a video showing her alive
Tel Aviv — The family of a 21-year-old French-Israeli woman seized by Hamas during its surprise onslaught near the Gaza Strip last week appealed for her release on Tuesday after the Islamist group released a video showing her alive.
In the footage released by Hamas late on Monday, Mia Schem, whose injured arm is shown being treated by an unidentified medical worker, identifies herself and asks to be returned to her family as quickly as possible.
“I saw that she was in stable condition but I am very worried about her,” her mother, Keren Schem, told reporters at a press conference, holding a photo of her daughter, who was seized at a dance party, along with many of the other hostages abducted into Gaza.
“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 and now she’s in Gaza.”
Israel says 199 hostages were taken to Gaza during the militants’ raid last week, which killed 1,300 people, the largest number of dead in a single day in Israel’s 75-year history.
The video of Schem was the first such footage released by Hamas since the attack and comes ahead of what is expected to be a major ground operation in Gaza by Israeli forces, which have bombarded the enclave for days, killing more than 2,700 Gazans.
“This is psychological warfare,” an Israeli army spokesperson said of the video. “With the goals of this war to dismantle Hamas, the hostages remain a key priority in balancing our efforts.”
The Israeli military has said it is in constant touch with Schem’s family and is using “all intelligence and operational measures” for the return of the captives, whose presence at unknown locations in Gaza will greatly complicate any operation.
“Now she is in Gaza, and she is not the only one,” Keren Schem said. “There are many children who went to this party, there are many babies, and children, and old people, and Holocaust survivors that were kidnapped,” she said.
“This is a crime against humanity, and we should all gather, and stop this terror, and bring everybody back home.”
France’s foreign ministry on Tuesday described the video as vile. It said 21 French nationals have been killed and another 11 are missing.
“Several are very likely hostages of Hamas. This is the case of a national, whose vile staging by Hamas in a video France condemns,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Earlier, Hamas’ armed wing said non-Israelis kidnapped on October 7, were “guests” who would be released “when circumstances allow”.
Reuters
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