IDF Releases Video Of 8-Yr-Old Ella Elyakim During Her Hamas Captivity

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — IDF soldiers fighting in Gaza recently located a video showing 8-year-old Ela Elyakim a few days after she was abducted from her father’s home in Nahal Oz during the October 7th massacre.

In the footage, Ela is seen standing in front of the flag of Hamas’ military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and says: “I’m Ella Elyakim, the daughter of Noam, and I’m eight years old. And I ask that someone frees us from Hamas captivity.”

In addition, the IDF published a photo of Ella with her 15-year-old sister, Dafna, who was abducted together with her.

צה”ל מצא ברצועת עזה סרטון של חמאס שבו מתועדת אלה אליקים בת ה-8, שנחטפה מנחל עוז ושוחררה אחרי 51 יום בשבי: “אני שבויה של חמאס, מבקשת מביבי שישחרר אותנו”@ItayBlumental pic.twitter.com/arTKFwEIGH

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 19, 2024

The two were released in the previous hostage deal, after 51 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza. Their father Noam was murdered on Oct. 7th and they were taken into captivity in his car. After their release the two were surprised that all Israelis were interested in their fate, as they had been told by their captors that Israel had lost interest in them.

IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari commented on the video, stating: “The video, which is being released today for the first time, was intended to be used by Hamas for psychological terror.

“But Ella’s family asked us to share it with the world to expose Hamas’s terror, to expose Hamas’s cruelty, to expose Hamas’s barbarism.”

He added: “8-year-old Ella Elyakim told us that Hamas terrorists forced her to read from a script, forced her to change her clothes, and forced her to re-film this terrifying scene over and over and over again.”

He concluded: “Our hearts go out to Ella, her family, and all the hostage families. Please help us respect the wishes of Ella’s family by sharing this video far and wide. We will continue doing everything in our power to bring our hostages back home.”