In a collaborative effort between Israel’s Shin Bet security service and the police force, six detainees from Gaza who participated in the destructive and deadly events of October 7, 2023, were interrogated.

On Monday, footage from these interrogations was made public, showcasing selected clips from each of the six separate interviews.

While each terrorist had a slightly different experience, common themes emerged from Israeli intelligence forces. All Hamas agents were given explicit instructions to target and abduct civilians, including the elderly, women, and children, during their attacks. Meanwhile, their commanders remained in Gaza.

The Disturbing Incentive

One of the terrorists disclosed that, “whoever brings a hostage back to Gaza gets $10,000 and an apartment.”

Their plan included taking control of the towns they attacked and maintaining a presence there after committing acts of violence against the local residents.

The released video, presented by the Shin Bet and the police, delves into the intricate details of the activities carried out by these Hamas operatives on the morning of October 7. One operative confessed, “The instructions were to kidnap women and children,” while another described an encounter with a deceased individual, stating, “Her body was lying on the floor. I shot her, and my commander yelled at me for wasting bullets on a dead body.”

The terrorists made it clear that they did not differentiate between civilians and soldiers when it came to acts of violence.

Another operative recounted entering a house where his comrades had already shot a resident. “Two [terrorists] went into the house… we heard voices inside. Another two came in. There was one lying on the floor next to the door. I don’t know if he was dead, but there was blood next to him. Inside there was one wounded man… I think a whole family. In their pajamas. The wounded man was in his underwear. A woman came out wearing a dress… then another with a dress. [Then] a boy and a girl.”

He continued, “We went to the next house. From there, they took out a woman. An old woman.”

He was then asked if these family members were used as human shields, to which he responded, “Yes.”

Another terrorist, who was in Be’eri, told interrogators: “When I entered the town, I saw two [terrorists] on a motorbike. They took a woman about 60-65 years old [with them] on the motorbike.”

“Where did they take her?” the interrogator asked.

“To Gaza.”

The footage transitions to a later part of the same terrorist’s account. “After Suleiman and Karem killed that woman from the town… they took someone, a man about 40-45 years old… and took him.”

“Took him where?”

“To Gaza.”

The terrorists also recounted a range of other horrifying activities, including using smoke to force civilians out of their shelters and shooting several pets. While the footage is heavily edited, many of their stories involve deceased bodies on the ground and people crying and attempting to flee.

Towards the end of the video, each of the Hamas agents was asked if their actions were permissible in Islam. They all responded the same way: “No. Islam does not permit the killing of women and children.”

Credit: The Jerusalem Post