Bearing Witness To the October 7th Masscre (2023 film) Gal Gadot

Bearing Witness to the October 7th Massacre is a compilation by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit of raw footage from the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The graphic film primarily comprises footage captured from body cameras worn by Hamas militants on October 7, and contains scenes of extreme violence recorded during and after the incursion.

Israeli officials have held screenings of the film for select groups, including national and international journalists, foreign diplomats, and Hollywood executives to garner support. The film has generated controversy, with some criticizing plans to publicly release the footage over concerns it would be psychologically harmful.

Background

A series of coordinated attacks, conducted by the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas, from the Gaza Strip onto bordering areas in Israel, commenced on Saturday 7 October 2023, initiating the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups named the attacks “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”. while they are referred to in Israel as “Black Saturday” (Hebrew: השבת השחורה)[7] and the “Simchat Torah Massacre” (Hebrew: הטבח בשמחת תורה).

The attacks began in the early morning with a rocket barrage of at least 3,000 rockets launched against Israel and vehicle-transported and powered paraglider incursions into its territory. Palestinian militants breached the Gaza–Israel barrier, targeting civilians for killing in neighboring Israeli communities and attacking military bases. In a single day, more than 1,000 Israeli civilians and more than 350 Israeli soldiers and police were killed in nearby towns, kibbutzim, military bases and at a music festival near Re’im. Approximately 200 Israeli civilians and soldiers were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip, of which the number of kidnapped children is estimated to be 30.

At least 44 nations have condemned Hamas labelling the attacks as terrorism. The day was described by media outlets and politicians as the bloodiest in Israel’s history and the deadliest for Jews since the Holocaust.

Contents

The film was produced by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit from footage retrieved largely from the body cameras of Hamas militants who carried out the October 7 attacks.

The 47-minute video primarily comprises footage captured directly from body cameras worn by Hamas militants during the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, showing images of the attack, including scenes of murder, and mutilation of the bodies of Israeli civilians and some foreign workers. The footage contains graphic content such as burned bodies, including a burnt baby, civilians shot execution-style in homes, cars and public spaces, beheadings and dismemberment of bodies, bodies thrown in dumpsters, soldiers killed at military bases, and female hostages abused and kidnapped.

The footage provides insight into the tactics and coordination of the Hamas militants. Many disguised themselves in stolen Israeli army and police uniforms to blend in undetected. Militants carried equipment like zip ties and radios to efficiently subdue and transport captives.

The militants, according to the footage, moved through towns for hours without security forces present. In footage taken by civilians, the attackers are seen suddenly emerging at a music festival, sending panicked revelers fleeing across fields amidst cries and moans of the injured. At one military base, militants killed desk staff before arming themselves with stolen assault rifles.

In one segment, security camera footage shows Hamas militants killing a man using a grenade. Following this act, the militants are seen retrieving beverages from a refrigerator while the man’s children are screaming and crying.

In another scene, young female soldiers are seen huddled in terror as a militant entered and began firing. The assailants are seen stopping vehicles to drag out and execute occupants, and stealing cell phones and belongings from the dead and dying. Civilians too shocked to resist were pulled by their hair into militant trucks bound for Gaza.

The militants also videotaped themselves abusing a dead soldier’s body as crowds cheered. A disfigured young woman was filmed being hauled from a car trunk and driven off while surrounded by a mob.

Screenings

Israeli officials held private screenings of the graphic footage for select audiences, requiring non-disclosure agreements and prohibiting recording devices. After the film was shown to members of the Knesset in Israel, the content deeply disturbed some attendees, necessitating medical and psychological support. Screenings have been held for Israeli Knesset members as well as foreign journalists and diplomats in Israel and at Israeli consulates worldwide.

A screening for Hollywood figures such as executives, directors and producers, has been also arranged by Israeli-American filmmaker Guy Nattiv and Israeli actress Gal Gadot, taking place in Los Angeles and New York.

Forty members of the U.S. Senate, from both political parties, attended a screening of the film in the U.S. Capitol on 29 November 2023. As they exited, most attendees, who were visibly affected by what they saw, said nothing to reporters outside.

More than 100 people, including Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana and hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, attended a screening of the film at Harvard University on 4 December.

Controversy

Within Israel, there was debate around publicly releasing the graphic footage. Proponents, such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, argued the brutal images would rally international backing for Israel’s cause by offering incontrovertible evidence of Hamas’ atrocities. They contend it is vital for the world to witness these horrific crimes firsthand. However, opponents such as mental health experts raised concerns about further traumatizing a population still reeling from the attacks and warned the film’s impact would quickly fade from the news cycle.

Protests held by Israeli and Palestine communities at Los Angeles screnings were protected by local police.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearing_Witness_(2023_film)

Evidently the "documentary" sponsored by Gal Gadot is purely a propaganda exercise — a compilation of the dubious and ambiguous footage we've already seen, supplied, edited and curated by the IDF. pic.twitter.com/zLyZU5q18c

— Club des Cordeliers (@cordeliers) November 9, 2023