The mother of a 21-year-old woman filmed in a Hamas hostage video has pleaded with world leaders to help free her.
In a chilling clip released by the terror group, Mia Shem, who was taken hostage from the Nova festival near the Gaza border, asks for help to “get me out of here as soon as possible. Please.”
Speaking during an emotional press conference in Tel Aviv, her mother Keren Sharf Shem told reporters:
“I didn’t know if she’s dead or alive until yesterday, all I knew is she might be kidnapped. Yesterday I saw my baby on television. I saw she’s alive ... I can see she was shot in the shoulder."
She issued an emotional plea for her daughter’s safe return, while holding a picture of the 21-year-old, saying: “I’m begging the world to bring my baby back home.
“She only went to a party, a festival party to have some fun. And now she’s in Gaza."
French president Emmanuel Macron has also demanded the release of the French-Israeli dual national.
The hostage clip is reported to be the first footage of a hostage purportedly speaking from captivity released by Hamas.
The footage cannot be independently verified with the caption saying it shows a hostage who was abducted on October 7, when Hamas launched its attack in southern Israel.
Her family has given permission for the media to use a still image from the video.
The Israeli military condemned Hamas over the video.
“Last week, Mia was abducted by Hamas. IDF officials have since informed Mia’s family and are in continuous contact with them,” they wrote on social media.
“In the video published by Hamas, they try to portray themselves as humane. However, they are a horrific terrorist organisation responsible for the murder and abduction of babies, children, men, women and the elderly.”
The Nova Festival was among the worst-affected sites of the Hamas atrocity.
More than 260 bodies were recovered from the festival site in the desert near the Gaza border after the group rained bullets on thousands of young people.
Some of the young people at the festival were filmed being taken hostage by Hamas militants.
Among them was 26-year-old Noa Argamani, who was seen in chilling footage begging “Don’t kill me” as she was taken by a Hamas militant on a motorcycle.
She and her boyfriend Avi Nathan, have not been seen since.
Last week, on October 12, her parents held two empty chairs and a birthday cake at their home in Be’er Sheva to mark her birthday.
In an interview with Israeli television, her father Yaacov said: “All my life since she was born I have tried to protect and hug her, support and love her.
“I wish I could at this difficult moment at least encourage her or say something to her.”
Israel has estimated that 199 hostages were taken by Hamas. Their fate remains unclear.
British Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said the Government is “extremely concerned" about British hostages being held and “we pray that they are alive".
Up to 10 hostages are feared to have been taken and Mr Mitchell promised the UK is doing “everything" possible to rescue them.
