The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a video Sunday, May 19, showing 8-year-old Ela Elyakim and her 15-year-old sister, Dafna, being coerced by Hamas terrorists into recording a message. The girls were held captive for 51 days before their release on Nov. 26 during a temporary truce.
Recovered by IDF troops during ground operations in Gaza, the footage depicts the young sisters repeatedly reading from a script, asking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure their freedom. Alongside the video, the IDF also released a photo of Ela and Dafna standing in front of a Hamas banner.
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The sisters were kidnapped from their home on Oct. 7 during a surprise attack by Hamas, which claimed their father’s life.
According to IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari, the video was originally produced by Hamas to inflict psychological terror. Ela reported that she was forced to read from a script and change clothes multiple times for the recording.
This release of footage occurs amidst deepening political divisions within Israel regarding the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Former Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has threatened to withdraw his party from the coalition government unless significant policy changes are implemented for a post-war Gaza.
Gantz’s proposal includes establishing a temporary civil administration in Gaza, managed by a coalition of U.S., European, Arab, and Palestinian authorities, while Israel retains security control.
