PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron denounced on Monday a video published by Hamas, of dual French-Israeli national Mia Shem held captive in the Gaza Strip. Speaking from Tirana in Albania, Macron said, "It is an ignominy to take innocent people hostage and put them on show in this odious way." Macron also said he intends to travel to Israel "in the coming days."
The video, published on social media, shows the young woman speaking in Hebrew, with Arabic subtitles. "My name is Mia Shem, 21-year-old from the city of Shoham. I am currently in Gaza," she says. "I was severely injured in my hand. I was taken to Gaza and I underwent an operation at a hospital for three hours. I'm taken care of and I receive medication. I'm well. I only ask that you bring me home as soon as possible to my family, my parents, my brothers."
The video of Shem was the first one made public by Hamas showing a hostage in Gaza in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. Israeli officials said this week they had notified families of 199 people believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas.
Before Macron's address, the Elysee Palace noted that the president was aware of the video and that he “calls for her immediate and unconditional release. France is fully mobilized and is working with its partners to free the French hostages held by Hamas.”
