The harrowing abduction video of the field observers from Nahal Oz base is making headlines in the West. CNN featured the story as the top headline on their website: "Families of female IDF soldiers captured Oct. 7 release graphic footage of kidnapping to increase pressure on Netanyahu."
The New York Post dedicated its front page to the story. "Savages," the headline says, "Shocking video shows Hamas terrorists plotting rape of Israelis."
On the Dutch Telegraaf, the article was prominently placed as the second most important on the homepage for a long time. The editors describe the video content and highlight one terrorist's chilling threat: "These are girls that can be impregnated. These are Zionists."
The British Daily Mail was also appalled by the statement, making it the article's headline: "Horrifying new footage shows Hamas fanatics taunt young Israeli women with the threat of rape and making them have their children as the hostages – one still in her Snoopy pajamas – plead to be freed," said the tabloid's headline, also preoccupied with the announcement of early elections in Britain this evening, much like all British media.
The German Bild also reported as one of the top headlines about the Hamas terrorists mocking the kidnapped soldiers and saying "These ones can be impregnated."
In Italy, La Repubblica prominently featured the video and kidnapping story on their website – second only to the live coverage of the Europa League football final featuring the Italian team Atalanta. La Stampa also posted the abduction video, accompanied by an explanation of the events in Nahal Oz.
On the Argentinian Clarin, the kidnapping story led the foreign news section with the headline "Handcuffed and bleeding – The disturbing video of the kidnapping of five young women, still held captive by Hamas."
In the Spanish media, the headlines were dominated by Madrid's recognition of a Palestinian state and reactions to the move. However, the ABC website did give prominent space to the video, while El Pais – the most widely read Spanish site – and El Mundo did not feature it on their homepages (at least at the time of writing).
Notably absent is any headline about the video on the British Guardian website. On their homepage featuring 4 articles about the conflict, there is no mention of the disturbing footage.
Nissan Shtrauchler contributed to this report.
