The mother of the Hamas hostages recounts the pain through an animated film

2023-10-30 19:45:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Renan Gome chose to share the experience of her children - Yagil, 12 years old and Orit, 16 years old, who were kidnapped from the Nir Oz settlement when they were alone at home, through a short animated film, whose narration is itself, reports Reuters.

The film, by the well-known director Yoni Goodman, who became famous in Israel with the film "Waltz with Bashir", about the 1982 war with Lebanon, brings to life the last moments that Yagil and Or spent in the security room at the house of them, talking on the phone with their mother, while Hamas militants were entering.

"They cannot be exploited, they are children. Children, everywhere in the world, should not become part of the negotiations to win something. Not in Gaza, not in Israel, not in Ukraine, not anywhere in the world," says Ms. Gome.

In the animated video, Ms. Gome recounts alongside the illustration how "on Saturday morning, October 7, at 6:30 a.m., the alarm sirens sounded and a flurry of shells began to fall on our house, in the Nir Oz settlement. The boys of My 16 and 12 year olds were home alone, sleeping.They took refuge in the safe room.

The animated film shows her son as he tried to keep the door closed, the security room door was forced open. "The last words I heard were him telling the kidnappers 'don't take me, I'm too young'," she recounted.

According to Mrs. Gome, the idea for the animated film "started with the nightmare I had, the event came alive in front of my eyes. When I woke up, I couldn't take the images out of my eyes, I'm living them constantly and I thought it would be good the world.”

In the animated film, she thinks of her sons "alone, in a pit, or dark tunnel, losing track of time."

"I hope they'll be together, give each other strength, be with the other kidnapped children until I meet them again, until I hug them again," she can be heard confessing.

At the end of the film, Mrs. Gome is reunited with her children.
“They gave me a good ending, they gave me a good ending to the dream to hope for. I am very grateful for this achievement," she added.

Two of the four hostages released by Hamas so far have told Ms. Gome that they believe they heard the voices of her children while they were being held hostage, a hopeful piece of news for Ms. Gome to believe that her children are still alive.

"Since the two women abducted from our residence were released, we received information that is not confirmed, that they had heard, or think they heard my sons. I hope it's true. I believe that the kidnappers, the terrorists know that we value life and they know that... they didn't take them to be mocked, but because they serve an interest and clearly as alive they serve that interest more. So, I hope it's true and they're keeping them safe,” she said.

Asked how she feels about the Israeli military's expanded operation in Gaza, Ms. Gome says freeing the hostages should be a priority for the Israeli government.

"As far as I'm concerned, my kids should be home now. This should be the first mission that the Israeli government should have on its shoulders. How do they do it? Do not know. It is not for me to say and it is not for me to give advice. I am convinced that they are working hard in this direction. It's not an easy solution, there are no easy solutions,” Ms. Gome said.