’No air to breathe’: Israel releases footage showing underground tunnel where Hamas killed 6 hostages | Video

Weeks after the murder of six hostages by Hamas, Israel on Tuesday released footage of a narrow Gaza tunnel with little scope for ventilation where the deceased were held captive by the militants.

The bodies of Ori Danino, Almog Sarusi, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Carmel Gat and Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin — who were held hostage — were found in Rafah by the military on August 31.

The tunnel was about 20 meters underground and stretched about 120 meters. It was reached by a shaft buried under a child's bedroom.

In an over 3-minute video release on X, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari showed the underground terrorist tunnel where the six people were held captive in brutal conditions and later murdered by Hamas.

Hagari claimed that there were two to six terrorists and the forces were gathering all the stuff for forensics.

"They were heroes, and they were in this tunnel... But they were here in this tunnel in a horrific condition where there is no air to breathe, where you cannot stand. They survived, but they were murdered by terrorists," said Hagari while showing the cramped tunnel.

The spokesperson also showed various items found in the tunnel including AK-47 magazines, charger, Quran books, hair brush and clothes, and stated that they need to check who used them.

Hagari also showed a bucket filled with bottles of urine believed to have been used by the captors.

“Why innocent people, women, young people were murdered after they survived 11 months in a horrific condition,” asked Hagari.

Showing the stain of bloods, Hagari added," This is their blood. This is the blood of Hersh, Eden, Carmel, Ori, Alex and Almog…There are still hostages. Some of them are alive in same conditions in tunnels like this in Gaza and we need to do everything we can in all means, in all the means we can to bring them back home alive."

Goldberg-Polin, one of the killed hostages, was native of Berkeley, California. He was reportedly scheduled to be released in the first phase of a cease-fire proposal discussed in July. He had also lost part of his left arm to a grenade attack in October 7 attack.

According to AP, Goldberg-Polin's parents led a high-profile global campaign seeking his release.

“Every day that passes is a danger to their lives, hanging by a thread, at the mercy of terrorists capable of the worst crimes against humanity,” AP quoted the Hostages Families Forum, a group representing relatives of hostages, as saying.

In a statement, the group called for an immediate deal to return those kidnapped, saying time is running out.