Israeli Media Releases Footage of Captives in Hamas Tunnel

Israeli television has aired previously unseen footage of six Israeli captives held in a Hamas tunnel in Gaza, showing them observing Hanukkah months before their deaths.

The captives—Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Alex Lobanov—were filmed marking the Jewish festival by lighting candles and singing in December 2023, approximately 80 days into captivity.

The footage had been recovered by the Israeli military during operations in Gaza and had previously only been shown privately to the captives’ families.

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Human Moments Amid Captivity

The clips depict the captives playing cards, backgammon, and eating, as well as observing New Year 2024. One captive, Goldberg-Polin, is shown missing the lower part of his left arm, injured during a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.

Families of the captives emphasized the humanity and resilience of their loved ones in the footage:

“Lighting the candles in this dark place is the Jewish essence of the heroism of light over darkness,” they said.

Although Hamas filmed the videos for propaganda purposes, the families stressed that the clips highlight the strength and unity of the captives.

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Deaths and Returns Under Ceasefire Deal

Israel reports that the six captives were killed at close range by their captors in Rafah’s Tal as-Sultan neighborhood on August 29, 2024. Their remains were discovered two days later and returned to Israel.

The footage’s release coincides with the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire, under which Hamas released 20 remaining living Israeli captives in October 2025 in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 Palestinians disappeared since the start of the conflict.

Since then, 27 of 28 bodies of Israeli captives and over 300 Palestinian bodies have been returned, although many remain unidentified. Families are still seeking closure for missing relatives.

Hamas has stated that recovering the last remaining Israeli captive’s body will require heavy excavation equipment due to rubble from Israeli bombardment.

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Context: Israel-Hamas Ceasefire

The release of footage and the handling of captives remain central to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Both sides continue negotiations over the return of bodies and the full implementation of the deal, which also aims to reduce civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.