The bodycam footage and various other sources such as CCTV, dashboard cameras, and mobile phone recordings have revealed the harrowing scenes that unfolded during the Hamas attack on a music festival and family neighborhoods in southern Israel.
The Israeli military has also released documents recovered from deceased Hamas members, shedding light on their operational planning and instructions for targeting the areas and taking hostages, as per Fox News.
Unedited Video Exposes Grim Reality of Hamas Attack in Gaza
10/20/2023, Gaza, Palastine. A view of destroyed buildings in Gaza that have been demolished by Israeli airstrikes.
The 43-minute video, screened in Tel Aviv on Monday, was a condensed version of hundreds of hours of footage collected since the attack. It depicted chilling scenes of Hamas gunmen cheering as they callously shot at civilians on the road.
They were later seen prowling the pathways of kibbutzim, ruthlessly killing parents and children inside their homes. One particularly traumatizing segment showed a father urgently ushering his two young boys into an above-ground shelter on a kibbutz just moments before Hamas attackers threw a grenade inside.
Tragically, the father was killed, and the boys were wounded. As the bloodied and shocked boys stumbled back into their home, a Hamas gunman callously entered and nonchalantly rummaged through the refrigerator, pausing to take a drink before leaving.
One of the boys cried out to his brother, realizing the gravity of their situation. His brother, seemingly blinded by the grenade, was unable to respond. The fate of the two boys remains unknown. The footage, some of which was captured on victims' mobile phones, also displayed the intense fear experienced by those hiding in safe rooms and shelters as the sound of gunfire and explosions drew nearer.
The decision to show this raw footage to journalists stemmed from the Israeli military's frustration with the media's focus shifting away from Hamas's brutal attack on October 7 to Israel's air strikes on Gaza and the resulting humanitarian crisis caused by the migration order for Gazans to relocate south.
During a briefing with international media attendees after the screening, Major General Michael Edelstein, a former IDF Gaza division commander, expressed his shock at the coverage. Highlighting the stark difference, he stated that comparing Israel's actions to the heinous acts committed by terrorists was unfathomable, especially considering the distressing evidence that had just been shown.
According to Israeli authorities, over 1,400 Israelis have been killed since the October 7 Hamas attack, with most casualties occurring during the initial assault. Additionally, more than 220 individuals are believed to have been taken hostage inside Gaza, according to BBC News.
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Israel's Counteraction
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has reported over 5,000 Palestinian fatalities since Israel's air strikes began in response. In contrast, the Palestinian health ministry in the occupied West Bank recorded 91 Palestinian deaths since October 7.
Following the screening of the footage, a virtual reality experience was made available, utilizing video footage from first responders who had entered family homes in the targeted kibbutzim. The Israeli military also released two instruction manuals recovered from deceased Hamas gunmen.
These manuals included detailed plans for the attack and instructions for taking hostages. One section emphasized the necessity of shooting down as many victims as possible, taking hostages, and transporting some to the Gaza Strip using various vehicles.
The separate document explicitly focused on hostages, instructing Hamas operatives to eliminate individuals deemed problematic or posing a threat while gathering others as "cannon fodder."
The Israeli military continues to grapple with the impact of the October 7 attack, which represented the most significant breach of their defenses in southern Israel in half a century. Despite considerable efforts to destroy Hamas tunnels and enhance the security fence underground and in coastal areas, Hamas managed to infiltrate the wall in large numbers.
General Edelstein disclosed that over 1,000 militants had crossed into Israel during the initial incursion. The video compilation's initial segments unveiled groups of pick-up trucks filled with Hamas gunmen freely navigating Israeli highways and indiscriminately shooting at civilians.
The documents retrieved from the bodies of Hamas militants left no doubt about their intent to slaughter and burn innocent citizens. They planned to target families within their homes and take children hostage back to Gaza.
The orders explicitly detailed the number of casualties to inflict and the number of hostages to accept and even included instructions for rape. The Israeli military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, acknowledged the internal debate regarding whether to show the footage but ultimately decided to do so.
Hagari stressed the importance of creating a collective memory for future generations and ensuring that the events would not be forgotten, Mail Online reported.
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