[KARAH RUCKER]

ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES RELEASED A DISTURBING VIDEO SUNDAY, DEPICTING FORMER HOSTAGES, 8-YEAR-OLD ELA ELYAKIM AND HER 15-YEAR-OLD SISTER, DAFNA, BEING COERCED BY HAMAS TERRORISTS INTO RECORDING A MESSAGE.

AT THE REQUEST OF THE GIRLS’ FAMILY, THE VIDEO WAS RELEASED PUBLICLY TO EXPOSE what they called THE CRUELTY OF HAMAS. THE SISTERS WERE HELD FOR 51 DAYS BEFORE THEIR RELEASE NOVEMBER 26 DURING A TEMPORARY TRUCE.

THIS FOOTAGE, RECOVERED BY IDF TROOPS DURING GROUND OPERATIONS IN GAZA, SHOWS THE YOUNG SISTERS BEING COERCED INTO REPEATEDLY READING FROM A SCRIPT ASKING ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU TO FREE THEM.

ALONGSIDE THE VIDEO, THE IDF ALSO RELEASED A PHOTO OF ELA WITH HER SISTER DAFNA, BOTH PICTURED IN FRONT OF A HAMAS BANNER.

THE SISTERS WERE KIDNAPPED FROM THEIR HOME ON OCTOBER 7 DURING A SURPRISE ATTACK BY HAMAS. THAT ATTACK ALSO 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.

THE RELEASE OF THIS FOOTAGE COMES AMIDST DEEPENING POLITICAL DIVISIONS WITHIN ISRAEL REGARDING THE ONGOING CONFLICT AND HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN GAZA.

FORMER DEFENSE MINISTER BENNY GANTZ THREATENED TO WITHDRAW HIS PARTY FROM THE COALITION GOVERNMENT SATURDAY 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.