Officials dismissed the video as propaganda designed to make Hamas appear humane. The Israeli military said her family was told of her abduction last week.
Schem was abducted on 7 October from the Supernova music festival, where hundreds were killed. Analysis by the New York Times suggests parts of it were filmed six days ago. It is unclear when it was filmed and if she was under duress during filming. In the 78-second video, which was broadcast on Hamas’s Telegram channel, Schem says she is in Gaza, is being given medicine and wants to go home. “In the video, Hamas is trying to portray itself as a humane organisation, while it is responsible for the murder and abduction of babies, women, children, and elderly,” it said. It said it was using “all intelligence and operational measures” for the return of the captives.
The Israeli military issued a statement saying it was in constant touch with Schem’s family and condemning Hamas as a “murderous terrorist organisation”. On Sunday, the French foreign minister, Catherine Colonna, met Schem’s family and the families of others killed or who were believed to have been taken hostage. “There should be no reason for them to have any hostages in the first place … we’re working very, very hard with our partners in the region to secure the release of all the hostages,” the US national security council spokesperson, John Kirby, told NBC. The US called on Hamas to immediately release all hostages, which include American citizens. Photograph: Hamas media office/AFP/Getty Images In the video, the first released by Hamas of a hostage allegedly speaking from captivity, Schem said she was being held in Gaza, was being well treated and appealed for her release.Ī screengrab captured from a video shared online shows Mia Schem, 21, being given medical care and asking to be able to go home. Schem’s mother told the press conference: “This is a crime against humanity and we should all gather and stop this terror and bring everybody back home.”Īt least 199 Israelis and foreigners were seized by Hamas gunmen and taken captive in the attack on 7 October, which killed 1,300 people, the largest number of dead in a single day in Israel’s 75-year history. It added that France was “working with its partners to free French hostages held by Hamas”. “It is an ignominy to take innocent people hostage and put them on show in this odious way,” the presidential palace quoted Macron as saying. The Elysée said Macron, who is on an official visit to Albania, demanded her unconditional release. On Tuesday, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, described the video as “an odious act”. In the footage, Schem, whose injured arm is shown being treated by an unidentified medical worker, asks to be returned to her family as quickly as possible. Hamas had released a video of Schem, who was taken hostage during the devastating attack on Israel.
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