Recently released footage by the families of six Israeli hostages, who were tragically killed by Hamas, provides a poignant glimpse into their final months in captivity. This rare and unsettling insight reveals the intimate struggles faced by the captives.

The videos, initially recorded by Hamas and later obtained by the Israel Defense Forces during Gaza operations, were broadcasted on Israeli television. Their release comes just days before this year’s Hanukkah celebrations.

The footage features the six individuals—Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Alex Lobanov—confined within a Hamas tunnel during the early stages of their captivity, months before their tragic deaths in August 2024.

One of the most poignant moments captured is the hostages observing Hanukkah in December 2023. They are seen lighting improvised candles made from paper cups and singing the traditional hymn, “Ma’oz Tzur.”

The recordings, taken after approximately 80 days of captivity, show a stark reality faced by the hostages, who were ultimately killed eight months later.

The hostages were killed before New Years Eve 2024, but the video shows them marking the celebration and sharing a piece of fruit, as their captors appeared to attempt to project a distorted image of daily life in captivity.

While Hamas filmed the videos for propaganda purposes, the footage stands apart from other hostage clips released during the war, which typically showed captives reading statements believed to have been dictated by their kidnappers. 

The Israeli military recovered unpublished footage of other hostages. The haunting footage shows the hostages in the terror tunnels

Footage shows the hostages huddling together in the tunnels in Gaza that they were forced to live in. The footage stands apart from other hostage clips released during the war, which typically showed captives reading statements believed to have been dictated by their kidnappers

Eden Yerushalmi, who was a budding fittness instructor, covers her face while she is held in tough conditions

The footage shows the hostages who were held in a network of underground tunnels, often living in proximity with their armed captors

This combination of six undated photos shows hostages, from top left, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, Carmel Gat; from bottom left, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi and Hersh Goldberg-Polin. They were murdered by their Hamas captors in Gaza in August 2024

Instead, the material offers longer, more candid moments between the hostages themselves.

At one point, Goldberg-Polin is heard comparing their situation to that of Jews living under Nazi rule.

‘There’s that picture of the Hanukkiah with a [Nazi flag] above it,’ he reflects in one of the clips.

Throughout the footage, the hostages’ voices can be heard as they sing, talk about their different religious backgrounds and discuss their lives before captivity.

Hours of video were recovered by Israeli forces, though until now the material had been shown only to the families of the victims. Portions were later broadcast by Channel 12’s investigative programme Uvda.

The footage was never officially released by Hamas.

Almog Sarusi, the 27-year-old was captured by Hamas on October 7 as he tried to treat the wounds of his girlfriend

Alexander Lobanov, 33, worked as a bar manager at the Nova music festival and was kidnapped to Gaza by Hamas on October 7th

Carmel Gat, 40, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023 from her parents’ home in Kibbutz Be’eri. She was murdered by her Hamas captors in a Gaza tunnel in late August 2024

Ori Danino, 25, was taken captive from the Supernova desert rave on October 7, where Hamas launched an attack, killing some 360 people at the party

Eden Yerushalm, 24, from Tel Aviv, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from the Supernova music festival where she worked as a bartender, on October 7 and murdered in captivity almost a year later

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, an American-Israeli was kidnapped from the Nova music festival during Hamas’ attacks on Israel last year