4 Teenagers Seen In Hamas Captivity, Families Say "This Is Killing Us"

A video of four Israeli teenagers held captive by Hamas in Gaza Strip is gaining traction on social media. According to the BBC, 123 people remain unaccounted for after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas operatives. Quoting Israeli authorities, the outlet further said that 23 are believed to be dead. In the attack, an estimated 240 people were taken hostage, but 105 were released by Hamas during a six-day ceasefire at the end of November. The video of these captive teenagers has shocked social media users, prompting a renewed call for their release.

The video shows Agam Berger, Liri Elbag, Daniela Gilboa and Karina Ariev lined up against a wall, their hands tied behind them. Some look beaten, with dried blood on their face. 

The clip was first released by Hamas just hours after they were kidnapped on October 7.

The BBC said that 19-year-old Ms Gilboa sent a message to her family saying her kibbutz was under attack and asked her mother to pray for her. Her boyfriend, Roy Dadon, told Economist 1843 that he believes he saw a glimpse of her in a video showing three girls being driven away in the back of an SUV.

Ms Berger, also 19, was kidnapped from the same kibbutz.

Eighteen-year-old Lili Elbag's father told several news outlets that she had just started military training as an Army lookout near the Gaza border when the attack took place. 

Ms Ariev, also a soldier, was serving near an Army base near Gaza when she was kidnapped. The sister of the 19-year-old said she heard shooting as Karina called her during the attack.

The Daily Mail spoke to the families of these teenagers and they made an appeal to help free their children.

"Imagine if it was your daughter, your little girl in their hands. What would you imagine?" Ms Gilboa's mother Orly told the outlet.

The families are worried reading about the torture and mutilation that the hostages have been subjected to.

"We heard about the sexual abuses. As a father, I can't imagine these things. The family is torn apart," said Shlomi Berger, the father of Agam Berger.

He said the situation has had a deep impact, with the family "torn apart, not functional".

Liri Elbag's father, Eli, said: "This is killing us. Every minute is like an hour."

The four are believed to be the youngest female hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

Israel started a war after the October 7 attack, vowing to wiped out Hamas. News agency AFP said 1,140 people, mostly civilians were killed in the attack.