Einav Zangauker revealed footage on Tuesday evening showing her son Matan, who has been in Hamas captivity for 291 days, being led by terrorists on a motorcycle through the streets of Khan Yunis.
In the background, Gazans can be heard cheering as he is led on the back of the motorcycle by two terrorists through the town in the southern Gaza Strip. It is estimated that the video was filmed during the first days following his abduction.
The family also published conversations between Matan and his mother, sister, and uncle on the morning of October 7th. Matan's cell phone was recently found in the Gaza Strip and returned to his family.
"There are people here, they're trying to get in," he wrote before he was abducted. At 9:12 Matan wrote to his mother: "Is the IDF attacking? Are there soldiers in the communities?" Einav answered him: "There aren't enough forces. There are no soldiers in the kibbutzim. They are all concentrated in the communities that were infiltrated. Don't leave the safe room."
After that, she added: "There are a lot of casualties, soldiers and civilians, and captives and hostages. Don't leave." At 9:44 Matan wrote to his mother: "There's someone here. I love you. There are people here." She answered: "Hold the door!! Everything will be ok."
Later Matan wrote: "There are Arabs here, they're breaking into houses, I love you, don't cry." Einav answered: "Be quiet, everything will be ok," and asked: "Maybe it's the army?" Matan replied: "No, they're speaking Arabic, they're just one door down."
At 9:49, Matan wrote his uncle: "I love you, help mom with Shani and Tato, that's all I ask." At 10:08 he wrote to his mother: "There are people here, they're trying to get in." She wrote back: "We called the police, be quiet. Matan? Are you ok?" but Matan did not answer anymore.
Einav stated on Tuesday after releasing the video and the conversations: "Netanyahu, hostages are dying in captivity! There's a deal on the table, and it's unfathomable that a mother of a hostage has to beg you to agree to a deal that you already authorized! For once put the national and public interest before your political and personal interest. Stop torpedoing! Look at my Matan who has been held for nine months by human animals. You could have saved him with everyone a long time ago. Look in the eyes of the wounded IDF lookouts and the other hostages who you abandoned. Their time is up! The people want the hostages home, and there is a majority in the government and the Knesset for the deal that's on the table."