The family of an Israeli woman who was abducted by Hamas and used for propaganda has released a heartbreaking video of the 21-year-old dancing carefree with friends at a music festival shortly before she was grabbed by the terrorists.
Mia Shem’s family shared a video of the woman dancing and smiling with friends shortly before the terrorists descended on the Supernova festival in the Negev, where they massacred at least 260 revelers and abducted scores on Oct. 7.
They appealed for her release Tuesday after the Islamist group posted a video on Telegram showing her being treated for an arm wound and pleading to be set free.
“I screamed when I saw the video of Mia, because I saw that she was alive, but when I watched it again, I saw that she was wounded,” her mother Keren Shem said at a press conference in Tel-Aviv.
“I see that she is very terrified, in a lot of pain, and I can see that she is saying what they are telling her to say.”
Keren held up a photo of her daughter, who also is a French citizen. as she begged for her to be returned home.
“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,” she 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,” Keren continued.
“This is a crime against humanity, and we should all gather, and stop this terror, and bring everybody back home,” she added.
The video of Shem was the first such footage released by the terror group since the attack and comes ahead of what is expected to be a major ground operation by Israeli troops in Gaza.
“This is psychological warfare,” an Israeli army spokesman said of the propaganda video. “With the goals of this war to dismantle Hamas, the hostages remain a key priority in balancing our efforts.”
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday there was no doubt in his mind that the woman appeared under duress.
“It’s a propaganda video much more than it is proof-of-life,” he told NBC News’ “Today, adding that the US was working very hard to secure the release of hostages.
“It’s reprehensible. All of these hostages need to be back with their families right now,” he said.
In the 60-second clip, Mia said in Hebrew that she had a three-hour surgery in Gaza.
“They are taking care of me, giving me medicine, everything is fine. I only ask that they bring me home as soon as possible to my parents, to my siblings,” she said. “Get me out of here as soon as possible. Please.”