Hamas terrorists discuss murdered captive as they watch Al Jazeera

(Nov. 7, 2024 / JNS)

A video clip of two Hamas terrorists discussing Almog Sarusi, 27, one of the hostages taken captive on Oct. 7, 2023, was aired by Israeli public broadcaster Kan News on Wednesday.

Sarusi was killed along with five other hostages in a Hamas tunnel in Rafah in southern Gaza. His body was discovered along with those of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Carmel Gat and Ori Danino.

The video was found on a USB flash drive in the tunnel near where the bodies were discovered.

It shows an Al Jazeera news report on TV. On screen is footage of a demonstration in Israel in which hostages’ families hold up photos of their loved ones. One of the photos is of Sarusi.

Two Hamas terrorists, off screen, recognize him. One of them pauses the TV report.

“Yes, there he is—Almog Sarusi,” one of the men can be heard saying.

“Ah, Almog Sarusi. Yes, he has long hair,” says the second.

“They set up a sort of encampment,” one of the men adds, speaking of the protest.

“The ones who are lifting up the pictures of [the hostages]—those are their families,” the other says.

Kan News reported that the family, which gave permission to air the clip, found it “very significant.” They assume that Sarusi was exposed to the video and “at least knew of the effort they were making to return him.”

The IDF recovered the bodies of Sarusi and the others on Aug. 31. All six were kidnapped alive during the Hamas-led assault on the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7.

“A few hours ago, we informed the families that the bodies of their loved ones had been located by Israel Defense Forces troops in a tunnel in Rafah. According to our initial assessment, they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them,” said IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari on Sept. 1.

Sarusi was captured while trying to escape the Nova music festival by car with friends during the attack. His girlfriend, Shachar Gindi, was severely wounded by gunfire.

“Almog stayed by her side in a desperate attempt to save her. Regrettably, his efforts were in vain, and he was subsequently abducted to Gaza,” according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.