The Hostages and Missing Families Forum on Thursday evening released additional heart-wrenching video and photographs recovered by IDF forces in Gaza, showing the final months in captivity of the six hostages who were executed by their Hamas captors in a Rafah tunnel in late August 2024.The victims, Hersh Goldberg-Polin (23), Eden Yerushalmi (24), Ori Danino (25), Alex Lubnov (32), Almog Sarusi (27), and Carmel Gat (40), were filmed by Hamas for propaganda purposes.
Instead of serving that intention, the footage reveals extraordinary resilience, warmth, and solidarity among the captives despite the brutal underground conditions dozens of meters beneath the surface.
In the newly released clips the six are seen:
Playing cards and chess (“I beat you at Rummy!” Hersh proudly declares, prompting laughter from Eden and Carmel)
Celebrating New Year’s Eve 2024 with a countdown and messages to their families
Lighting Hanukkah candles in the tunnel while wishing each other “miracles” and saying “may we continue to believe”
Comforting one another, joking about missing sufganiyot (Hanukkah doughnuts) and Roladin bakery
Carmel Gat, an occupational-therapy student, pleading with a terrorist guard to get medical treatment for the badly wounded Almog Sarusi: “It’s been like this for too long. He needs treatment.”
Carmel asking to see footage of her father that a terrorist brought in on a phone, only to be told “next time”
Eden Yerushalmi sending birthday wishes to her little sister May and telling the camera: “Happy New Year to all the families. We’re waiting to come home. God willing, soon.”
In one segment the hostages, led through a tunnel, hear fresh air and one of the women (Eden or Carmel) is heard saying with audible relief: “Finally some new air.”
Ori Danino, while attempting to observe the Hanukkah candle-lighting mitzvah under impossible conditions, explains to the others: “We’re in a place where we really can’t light Hanukkah candles – because of thieves, wild animals and enemies. What we’re doing right now is still a mitzvah.”
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose left arm was blown off by a grenade on October 7, is seen throughout the footage with his severe injury yet still smiling, playing cards, and reassuring viewers: “We’re healthy, alive, they’re taking care of us, we’re okay. We want to come home. Happy New Year.”
