Mother sees new proof of life video of injured son in Hamas captivity: 'Get me out of here!'
The mother of kidnapped soldier Matan Angrest appeared in a television interview on Saturday, saying the IDF showed her raw footage discovered from within Gaza giving proof of life for her son who is still being held hostage by Hamas.
Staff Sgt. Matan Angrest was taken hostage from Nahal Oz on Oct. 7 while unconscious and injured.
“He survived inside a tank in which three other soldiers were killed and kidnapped dead. Matan survived and was kidnapped while he was seriously injured,” said his mother mother Anat on Channel 12 news.
Angrest’s parents heard from other hostages released in the November deal saying they had seen Matan, and that he had received medical treatment for his injuries in Gaza. The extent of his injuries and present condition is not known, although after seeing the footage, Anat said: “He looked like he’d been through serious trauma.”
The Times of Israel reported that the Angrest family from Kiryat Bialik didn’t hear the phone when Matan tried to call on the morning of Oct. 7, when 3,000 Hamas terrorists invaded Israel from Gaza murdering 1,200 and taking over 250 individuals captive. Angrest's parents were unable to reach him when they tried to call him back.
Speaking at a rally in Hostage Square, Tel Aviv, Angrest stated, "I am considered fortunate among the hostage families because I received proof of life from Matan in a video found by our soldiers.”
"In the video, my son Matan is seen looking injured at the camera and addressing you, prime minister. He shouts, 'Netanyahu, I don't understand how this happened, but I trust you to get me out of here.'
Anat said at the rally, “How disappointed Matan must be, as the prime minister has not gotten you out of there, you were not mentioned at all in the first phase, and you are not being talked about in the next phase.”
"The country you are fighting for has decided that you remain there. You are not a child because you are over 18, not a woman, not elderly and not chronically ill. You are 'just' a soldier who fought and was ready to sacrifice himself. So you remain there, in the tunnels, in the dark, injured, bleeding, who knows if you are still surviving.”
Angrest turned 21 while in captivity, and his mother expressed deep frustration that he has been left there while others were released because he is not female, elderly or under the age of 18.
She labeled politicians who have resisted a hostage release deal as “evil.”
"I appeal to you, Prime Minister Netanyahu, to remind you: Matan is a heroic soldier but, first of all, he is a child who grew up in Israel and its values, who gave me the title of mother 21 years ago. And you, Netanyahu, gave me the title of mother of a kidnapped child in hell nine months ago."
A Facebook page dedicated to the “Bring Them Home Now” campaign provided this description of Matan: “A loving brother to four siblings. On a typical summer day Matan usually spends his time with his family and friends. Matan is a huge football fan and enjoys watching with his father and attending games together.”
Matan’s father Hagai also made a plea to Netanyahu: "We are calling on the prime minister to be brave and bring all the hostages back. Continue discussing the second phase of the deal. Do not abandon them again."
Of the 120 hostages still held in captivity, 42 have been confirmed dead by the IDF. A total of 109 others have been released in deals between Israel and Hamas, and a further 26 recovered, only seven of whom were found alive.
Hagai added, "The video and proof of life from Matan have given us hope and a bit of air along the way. But every day in Gaza is hell—we must do everything to bring about a comprehensive deal and bring everyone home. We are exhausted."
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Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
