Hamas Releases Video Allegedly Showing Oct. 7 Hostage Who Was Killed; The IDF Responds.

While we didn't see massive protests by leftists across the country after President-elect Trump's victory on November 5, like after his first election or during the George Floyd riots, the antisemitic hordes have not disappeared completely. Friday night brought news of violence by a pro-Hamas mob, this time in our neighbor to the north, Canada.

As my colleague Bonchie wrote earlier, the rioters in Montreal were perhaps emboldened by leaders like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has given his full-throated support for the International Criminal Court's (ICC) new arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The ICC May Have to Go Through the United States to Arrest Benjamin Netanyahu

On Saturday, Hamas continued to throw gasoline on the fire with the release of an video allegedly showing an Oct. 7 hostage who was killed. Now, Israel has responded. (For obvious reasons, we will not share the video.)

IDF International spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said in a statement posted on X that the Israeli military is "examining the information," and "cannot confirm of refute it."

He also urged restraint and compassion for the hostages' families, in the wake of the release:

This evening, the Hamas terrorist organization released footage allegedly showing a hostage who had been killed.

We are examining the information, and at this stage, we cannot confirm or refute it. IDF representatives are in contact with her family and are keeping them updated…
— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) November 23, 2024

The post reads:

This evening, the Hamas terrorist organization released footage allegedly showing a hostage who had been killed.
We are examining the information, and at this stage, we cannot confirm or refute it. IDF representatives are in contact with her family and are keeping them updated with all available information.
Hamas continues to engage in psychological terror and act with extreme brutality.
Please refrain from spreading rumors and information that may harm the families of the hostages.

His post was followed up by a message on the official Israel X account, and while it bears similarities to LTC Shoshani's words, this one reminds Israli citizens who Hamas means to target with its propaganda. People unwittingly passing along unconfirmed reports from a terror organization is part of Hamas' twisted plan.

It's also a stark reminder of what's at stake--the well-being of families and their innocent loved ones, caught up in the terror group's horrific actions:

Hamas continues to use psychological terrorism to torture the families of hostages and the Israeli public.

Behind every hostage is an entire family sick with worry, waiting for their loved ones to come home.

Please refrain from spreading rumors and information that may harm…
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) November 23, 2024

It reads: (emphasis mine)

Hamas continues to use psychological terrorism to torture the families of hostages and the Israeli public.
Behind every hostage is an entire family sick with worry, waiting for their loved ones to come home.
Please refrain from spreading rumors and information that may harm the families of the hostages.

We can't remind people often enough that while our prayers go out to our friends in Israel and around the world who were affected by the heinous attack sparking the Israel-Hamas war, Americans remain among the hostages Hamas holds in Gaza.