Abo Obaida said the prisoners will be released ‘as soon as circumstances permit’. On Monday, Hamas released a video with images of people held hostage by the group since the terrorist offensive against Israel on October 7. The footage is the first to indicate that the hostages (or at least some of them) are alive. According to the newspapers “Haaretz” and “Times of Israel”, the woman who appears in the video is Mia Schem, 21, an Israeli who also has a French passport. She is the granddaughter of a Chilean.
– I’m Mia Schem, I’m 21 and I’m from Shoham. I’m in Gaza at the moment,” she says in the video.
See photos of Mia Schem, Hamas hostage
According to Israeli newspapers, the young woman was kidnapped at a rave party near Gaza that was raided by armed men and where authorities found at least 260 bodies. In the images, Mia Schem has one of her arms in a cast, says she underwent a three-hour surgery and received medical care and medication.
– They are taking care of me and giving me medicine. All I ask is that you get me back home as soon as possible, to my family, my parents, my siblings. Please get me out of here as soon as possible,” she says.
In an interview with CNN, Mia Schem’s mother said that she is “the heart of the family” and called for the authorities to act quickly to rescue her. Later, at a press conference in Tel Aviv, she pleaded for action by international agents.
– I ask world leaders that my daughter be returned to us in the state she is in today, as well as the other hostages – said Karen Shem after French President Emmanuel Macron demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the young woman. – I beg the world to give me my baby back.
Karen Schemm also told Bring Them Home Now that the last contact she had with her daughter was when she was trying to escape from the terrorists.
– They escaped in a car and Hamas shot out the tires, so they had to run out of the car. They ran in different directions. That’s all I know. […] I called her, the phone rang, but no one answered,” she said.
The young woman’s mother pointed out that Mia “is the most creative person in the world” and is learning to tattoo.
– She cooks, she paints, she’s learning to tattoo. There’s nothing she doesn’t know. Everything she touches turns to gold. She is my best friend and I would give my life to bring my daughter back home.
According to Israeli forces, 199 people have been kidnapped by Hamas. On social media, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that Mia was taken hostage on Saturday.
“In the video published by Hamas, they try to present themselves as human. However, they are a horrible terrorist organization responsible for the murder and kidnapping of babies, children, men, women and the elderly. We are currently implementing all operational and intelligence measures for the return of all hostages – including Mia,” the IDF said.
The New York Times points to evidence that parts of the video were recorded six days ago.
Hostages ‘invited’
Abo Obaida, spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said on Monday that the group intends to release the foreign hostages. The release of the prisoners should take place as soon as possible, according to the terrorist representative.
“We consider them our guests. As soon as circumstances allow, we will release them,” Obaida said in a video posted on Telegram, according to the Al Jazeera television network.
Obaida added that Hamas members had no knowledge of the hostages’ nationality when they were kidnapped. He explained that there are prisoners of various nationalities.
22 hostages killed
The spokesman also said that it is not possible to determine the exact number of hostages in the Gaza Strip due to the constant Israeli bombardment. Obaida also said that 22 hostages had been killed in air strikes by Israel’s armed forces, according to CNN.
Former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal gave a live interview to Alaraby TV on Monday. He said at the time that the terrorist group has enough hostages in its possession to free the 6,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Among the prisoners would be high-ranking officers in the Israeli Defense Forces.
“One of the aims of this battle was to take Israeli soldiers and officers hostage in order to free our own people from Zionist prisons,” he said. “Military hostages have their own calculations, civilians and foreigners have others. The Hamas leadership will deal with the hostages in accordance with international and humanitarian law,” he concluded.