On 7 October 2023, 25-year-old Israeli woman Noa Argamani was abducted by Hamas during the Re'im music festival massacre, part of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. In one of the first Hamas videos released of the massacre, she was seen being abducted by motorcycle as she yells, "Don't kill me!"
Israel says it fears for lives of two hostages after latest Hamas propaganda video
IDF rejects terror group’s claim Itay Svirsky and Yossi Sharabi were killed when the military targeted a building where they were being held; Noa Argamani believed to be alive.
Hamas published videos showing hostages Itay Svirsky, Noa Argamani, and Yossi Sharabi. The latest propaganda video, published Monday evening, raised concerns regarding Svirsky and Sharabi. Argamani is believed by the IDF to be alive. From left: Noa Argamani, Yossi Sharabi and Itay Svirsky, seen in an undated Hamas propaganda film released on January 14, 2024.
Noa Argamani, Yossi Sharabi and Itay Svirsky, seen in an undated Hamas propaganda film released on January 14, 2024.
The hostages were taken during Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, when thousands of terrorists burst across the border from Gaza by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing over 240 captives of all ages — mostly civilians — in horrific acts of brutality.
In recent days, IDF representatives met with the families of Itay and the other hostage, and expressed grave concern for their fate, due to information we had,” Hagari said. Sharabi’s family had initially requested for him not to be named, but on Tuesday morning allowed his name to be published.
Sharabi, 53, was abducted by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Be’eri, along with his brother, Eli Sharabi.
Svirsky, 38, was abducted from his parents’ home in Kibbutz Be’eri, where he was visiting to celebrate the Simhat Torah holiday. Both his parents, Orit Svirsky and Rafi Svirsky, were murdered by Hamas terrorists. His 96-year-old grandmother Aviva Sela managed to survive the attack.
Argamani, 26, was abducted from the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im on the morning of October 7, and a video of her abduction was one of the first to be published online as Hamas terrorists massacred some 360 partygoers and abducted dozens more.
Last month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had asked Beijing to help free Argamani, whose mother Liora is Chinese. Suffering from a terminal illness, Liora Argamani has appealed to be reunited with her daughter before she dies.
Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who are both thought to be alive after entering the Strip of their own accord in 2014 and 2015, respectively, as well as the remains of fallen IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014.
“Even in these difficult times, we are in constant contact with the families, updating them with the details we know about their loved ones. We will continue to update them with every detail of verified information we have.