My Son Is Being Left Behind”: Israeli Soldier’s Mother Releases Harrowing Video to Push for Ceasefire and Hostage Deal
WafricNews – June 9, 2025
The mother of an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas on October 7 has released a disturbing video showing the moment her son was taken hostage, in a powerful appeal to the Israeli public and international community to secure his release.
Matan Angrest, an Israeli soldier believed to be among the last hostages still alive in Gaza, is seen in the footage being violently pulled from his tank by a group of Palestinian militants. The video, released Monday, shows Angrest limp and possibly unconscious, kicked and slapped as he is dragged down head-first from the turret.
His mother, Anat Angrest, said she had resisted making the video public for months, heeding Israeli military advice. But now, as hostage negotiations stall, she says silence is no longer an option.
“I don’t feel the commitment of the government to bring Matan home,” she told WafricNews. “We stayed quiet for over a year, but we realized that our silence only made it easier to leave him behind.”
A Family’s Desperate Plea
The footage was reportedly recovered by Israeli forces from the belongings of Palestinian militants. It shows more than a dozen masked men surrounding the tank before forcefully lowering Angrest to the ground. His condition at the time is unclear, but his body appears unresponsive.
Anat, who only saw the video for the first time on Sunday, described the emotional toll it took on her as a mother.
“Every mother knows their child from the very first cry,” she said tearfully. “Watching that video… it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Angrest suffers from chronic asthma, untreated burn injuries, and repeated infections, according to testimony from fellow hostages. Keith Siegel, a dual American-Israeli citizen released earlier this year, said Angrest’s physical and mental condition deteriorated severely during their two months in captivity together.
Stalled Talks, Dwindling Hope
Angrest is one of 55 hostages still held in Gaza and among 20 believed to be alive, according to Israeli authorities. As a male soldier, he is considered a high-value detainee by Hamas, making his release unlikely under partial hostage deals that prioritize women, children, and the sick.
The family’s decision to release the video coincides with renewed but faltering ceasefire negotiations. A U.S.-backed proposal currently on the table would see the release of some hostages in exchange for a 60-day pause in fighting, but Hamas has demanded stronger guarantees that the truce will lead to a permanent end to the war.
So far, no breakthrough has been reached.
Anat Angrest, like many families of hostages, is urging leaders to secure a full deal—not a partial one—calling for the return of all captives and a sustainable peace agreement.
“If the government expects young people to serve, they must also protect them,” she said. “We owe it to them not to give up.”
A Symbol of a Broader Crisis
Matan Angrest's case has become a symbol of growing frustration among hostage families. Many fear that with each passing week, their loved ones are slipping off the negotiation table—and off the radar of the public.
As the war in Gaza drags on, the story of one soldier—captured, silenced, and possibly dying—offers a brutal reminder of the human cost behind the headlines, and a plea that the world must not ignore.
By WafricNews Desk.
By WafricNews Desk.
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