'Don't kill me': Hostage's desperate plea to Hamas kidnappers as more than 100 held captive
9 October 2023, 16:24 | Updated: 9 October 2023, 16:29
Fears are growing over the safety of the dozens of hostages being held in Gaza after attacks on Israel by Hamas over the weekend.
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More than 100 hostages taken during the attack, including women, children, the elderly, and the disabled.
Others are members of the Israeli Defence Force, with many forcibly taken from the Nova music festival. Hamas claims the number of hostages is around 130.
Shocking videos posted on social media appear to be show people being killed and taken away.
One clip shows 25-year-old Chinese-Israeli Noa Argamani screaming "don't kill me", with her arms stretched out towards her boyfriend, Avinatan Or, who was also kidnapped.
Some hostages are thought to be alive, but others are presumed to be dead, according to military spokesman Lt. Col Jonathan Conricus.
He added: "These are numbers that were up until now unimaginable. This will shape the future of this war."
Hamas said they had captured hostages in numbers "several times greater" than dozens, which they had taken to areas throughout the Gaza Strip.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas was responsible for the hostages' well-being and Israel would "settle the score with anyone who harms them."
One social media clip shows a woman being forced into the back seat of a car, where her face is bleeding and her wrists appear to be cable-tied behind her back.
An additional video shows a truck driving through the Gaza Strip, appearing to be carrying Israeli hostages.
Read more: What is Hamas and why is it in conflict with Israel? Key questions about the Israel-Gaza conflict
In a third video, an unconscious woman who attended the festival can be seen being displayed by Hamas, with onlookers shouting "Allahu Akbar".
She has been identified as German-Israeli national Shani Louk.
They were attending an outdoor party near Gaza, in Kibbutz Re'im, a suburb in the city of Ofakim in Israel's south.
Witnesses told Israeli media that the attackers were riding motorcycles, firing at the attendees.
A video of Ms Argamani has since been published, appearing to show her sipping water in a room in Gaza.
However, there have been instances of Hamas-held hostages being freed. According to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson, 50 hostages have been freed after being held in the dining hall of Kibbutz Be'eri in southern Israel.
Among the hostages to have been freed is Yaffa Adar, an 85-year-old grandmother.
She was taken away on a buggy by Hamas but she appears to have been let go and can be seen in a clip drinking water.
Some 700 Israelis have been killed, alongside 500 Palestinians. Many people are still missing.
One British man, Nathanel Young, has been confirmed dead. Two others are confirmed missing, but there are fears the number could rise to over ten.
