Hamas exploits captured Israeli children in starling video

A shocking new video released by Hamas shows the terrorist group’s armed men holding and playing with Israeli children and babies that they have kidnapped. The video seems to be an attempt to portray a positive image of how the captives are being treated by Hamas.

The video shows several men in military uniforms and vests, with their faces blurred out, in what looks like a normal house. They are seen cuddling and rocking the young hostages, who are no older than 5 years old.

One of the men holds a baby in one arm and a gun in the other. Another man wears a balaclava and a green headband and holds a child in each arm. He speaks to the camera in Arabic.

The international community considers kidnapping children in war as one of the most serious war crimes. The UN has listed it as one of its six “grave violations” that it condemns, along with other atrocities such as attacking hospitals or schools and recruiting child soldiers.

Israel dropped thousands of fliers in Gaza, urging citizens to “leave immediately”. However, Hamas told its citizens to ignore the warnings and to “remain steadfast in your homes,” and to “stand firm in the face of this disgusting psychological war.”

Hamas is believed to have taken at least 150 hostages during its surprise attack on Israel last Saturday and brought them back to Gaza. Among them are an unknown number of Americans.

On Friday morning, Israel issued a caution to approximately 1.1 million Palestinians residing in the northern Gaza Strip, urging them to evacuate within 24 hours in anticipation of a potential ground invasion aimed at countering Hamas militants.

The casualty count has risen, with 1,300 reported deaths in Israel, including 27 Americans, and an additional 1,900 fatalities in Gaza.