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'She was wounded, bring my baby back,' mother of abducted Israeli woman begs for her release

“I screamed when I saw the video of Mia, because I saw that she was alive, but when I watched it again, I saw that she was wounded,” Mia Shem's mother said

Updated on: Oct 17, 2023, 22:34:07 IST
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The mother of a 21-year-old Israeli woman who is being held hostage by Hamas appealed for her release after the terrorist organisation shared a video of her daughter pleading for help.Mia Shem, 21, was abducted by Hamas terrorists during an attack on an Israeli music festival site.

Mia Shem's (L) mother Keren (R) has appealed for her release (sonegobrothers/TikTok, bringhomenow screenshot/Instagram)
Mia Shem's (L) mother Keren (R) has appealed for her release (sonegobrothers/TikTok, bringhomenow screenshot/Instagram)

“I screamed when I saw the video of Mia, because I saw that she was alive, but when I watched it again, I saw that she was wounded,” her mother, Keren Shem, said at a press conference in Tel Aviv, according to New York Post. “I see that she is very terrified, in a lot of pain, and I can see that she is saying what they are telling her to say.”

Holding up a photo of Mia, Keren said, “I’m begging the world to bring my baby back home. She only went to a party, to a festival party, to have some fun and now she’s in Gaza.”

“There are many children who went to this party, there are many babies, and children, and old people, and Holocaust survivors that were kidnapped,” Keren added. “This is a crime against humanity, and we should all gather, and stop this terror, and bring everybody back home.”

What does the video of Mia Shem show?

In the video, Mia is seen being given medical care for a wound on her arm, before she pleads for help. Mia claimed that she had a three-hour surgery in Gaza, as per a translation from Hebrew by the Jerusalem Post. “They are taking care of me, giving me medicine, everything is fine. I only ask that they bring me home as soon as possible to my parents, to my siblings,” she said. “Get me out of here as soon as possible. Please.”

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed in a social media post that Mia was kidnapped by Hamas, adding that the organisation posted this video in an attempt to prove that they are humane.

  • Sumanti Sen
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Sumanti Sen

    Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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