‘Bring my baby back home’: Mother of woman seen in Hamas hostage video pleads for help

World

The mother of a young woman who was kidnapped by Hamas and seen in a hostage video released by the group has appealed for help, saying: “Bring my baby back home”.

Mia Shem was abducted by the militants on 7 October while attending a rave in Israel.

A video of the 21-year-old was released by Hamas on Monday, showing her receiving apparent medical attention for an injury to her upper right arm.

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In the footage, Mia said: “Everything is alright. All I want is to go home as soon as possible.”

Speaking during a news conference in Tel Aviv, her mother Keren Sharf Shem told reporters: “I didn’t know if she’s dead or alive until yesterday, all I knew is she might be kidnapped.

“Yesterday I saw my baby on television. I saw she’s alive … I can see she was shot in the shoulder.”

Ms Shem said her daughter “looks like she is terrified” in the footage, adding: “She looks like she is in big pain.”

It was not clear when the video was filmed.

Holding up a photo of her daughter and fighting back tears, she added: “I’m begging the world to bring my baby back home.

“She only went to a party, a festival party to have some fun. And now she’s in Gaza.”

When asked by Sky News if she had a message for her daughter, Ms Shem said: “My message to my daughter is I love her so much and I miss her so much.

“And all these days I’ve just thought how I [will be] hugging her when she’s coming home and that’s what’s kept me strong and focused.”

She added: “Maybe that’s why she’s okay, I want to tell all the other parents, think positive.”

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