Israel
Hamas gives hostages ‘gift bags’ in propaganda stunt after 471 days in Gaza
The ‘goodie bags’ reportedly contained a map of the Strip and photos of the women in captivity
January 20, 2025 13:46
The ‘goodie bags’ reportedly contained a map of the Strip and photos of the women in captivity
January 20, 2025 13:46The three Israeli hostages freed by Hamas on Sunday were apparently handed ‘gift bags’ by the terror group, containing tokens from their 471 days in captivity.
In a video released by Hamas, hostages Emily Damari, 28, Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 were each given a paper bag as they sat in a vehicle ahead of their release. These bore the logo of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing.
The bags reportedly contained a map of the Gaza Strip, photographs of the women in captivity, and a signed “completion” certificate of their time in captivity.
📹 #كتائب_القسام تنشر مشاهد من عملية تسليم الأسيرات الإسرائيليات الثلاث اليوم للصليب الأحمر في مدينة #غزة. pic.twitter.com/8T0LF4JWLu
Damari, a British-Israeli national, can be seen posing as a masked man holds up documentation in Hebrew and Arabic, showing personal details about her including her hometown, Israeli ID number, and where she was “arrested,” likely referring to her abduction from Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7, 2023.
The paper is signed by “al-Qassam Brigades Command.”
The video, which depicts the hostages wearing lanyards printed with the Palestinian flag, has been criticised by Israeli media as a choreographed piece of propaganda.
Speaking to the Jerusalem Post, the survivors called the bags a “cynical game”.
In the video, the hostages were driven to Al-Saraya Square in Gaza City, where they were handed over to the Red Cross.
A Red Cross official and a masked Hamas terrorist could be seen signing a batch of handover documents.
In a separate video released by the IDF, the women were then transferred by the Red Cross to Israeli special forces in the Gaza Strip before being taken to hospital.
The IDF releases footage showing the moment the Red Cross handed over hostages Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher to special forces in the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/8Ht21aXRfM
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) January 19, 2025
Damari, Gonen, and Steinbrecher mark the first of 33 Israeli hostages set to be released during the initial six-week phase of the ceasefire deal.
The other 30 hostages due to be set free are “humanitarian cases”, including women, children, men over 50 and the sick and wounded.
In return, Israel has agreed to release almost 2000 Palestinian prisoners.