The Israeli Embassy in Washington screened raw footage of Hamas atrocities from Oct. 7 to more than 30 U.S. lawmakers and foreign dignitaries on Tuesday night, on the one-month anniversary of the massacre.
The 43-minute video, which was previously shown to the foreign press, includes footage captured by body cameras worn by Hamas terrorists, security cameras, dash cams, smartphones and social-media accounts.
“This was one of the worst terror attacks in modern history and the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust,” Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog wrote on X. “Every nation and human being must draw a line between those who uphold the values of humanity and those who desecrate them, and sound a clear moral voice.
“Israel has the right and the duty to defend itself and remove the Hamas threat while fighting for the unconditional release of each and every hostage. We will not rest until we bring them back home.”
Today, I hosted over 30 ambassadors and foreign dignitaries at the Embassy of Israel for a screening of the body camera footage which the Hamas terrorists used to document and celebrate their barbaric atrocities in Israel on October 7th.
— Ambassador Michael Herzog (@AmbHerzog) November 8, 2023
Together, we marked one month since the… pic.twitter.com/WR0K60L7iQ
The event is part of an Israeli initiative to show the video to lawmakers worldwide and influential media figures.
The footage has also been screened to officials in London, Berlin and Tokyo, among others.
Earlier this month, members of Israel’s parliament were invited to view a compilation of the video footage behind closed doors following a request made by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana to the Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Unit.
Likud Party Knesset member Gilat Distel-Atbaryan said the Knesset physician offered MKs anxiety medication before they entered the auditorium. “I held out in the hall for five minutes and then I ran out sobbing and shaking,” she tweeted.
Fellow Likud member Eli Dallal left after 10 minutes, he said. “After briefly watching such atrocities, I say unequivocally: Revenge is needed and a resurgence of Hamas cannot be allowed,” he tweeted.
“Remember what Amalek did to you,” wrote Education Minister Yoav Kisch following the screening, referring to the biblical archenemy of the Jewish people. “Israel needs to destroy every trace of Hamas just like Amalek.”
Likud MK Tsega Melaku reportedly fainted as psychologists were called to the Knesset.
