TEL AVIV: The Israeli army Tuesday confirmed the identity of a soldier being held hostage by Hamas, after the armed wing of the Palestinian group released a video showing the young woman in detention.
“Our hearts go out to the Marciano family, whose daughter, Noa, was brutally kidnapped by the Hamas terrorist organisation,” Israeli army said in a statement released shortly after midnight. “We are using all means, both intelligence and operational, to bring the hostages home.”
It was the first time Israeli army officially confirmed a hostage’s identity since Hamas fighters abducted about 240 people when they stormed across the militarised border from Gaza on October 7.
On Monday night, Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas published a video of the Israeli soldier apparently reading a message in Hebrew in which she identified herself by name and identity card number and also said she had been in Hamas captivity in Gaza for four days.
“An IDF (Israel Defense Forces) representative came to the family’s home and informed them of the video’s publication,” the army statement said.
“The Hamas terrorist organization continues to exploit psychological terrorism and act inhumanely, through videos and photos of the hostages, as done in the past.”
The Israeli army has been waging a campaign to destroy Hamas and says 44 of its troops have also been killed in fighting in Gaza.
Israel is facing intense international calls to minimise civilian suffering during its massive air and ground offensive, which the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says have killed 11,240 people, including 4,630 children.
