Shem Tov was abducted from the Nova music festival and held in Gaza for 505 days.
By Shula Rosen
Former hostage Omer Shem Tov criticized the documentary NAZA in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece published Wednesday, arguing that its depiction of Palestinian suffering largely leaves out Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack and the experiences of hostages held in Gaza.
Shem Tov, who was abducted from the Nova music festival and held in Gaza for 505 days, said he had not seen the film, which has not been released in Israel.
He said its portrayal of the war largely excludes the events that preceded it.
“What hurts is that the film doesn’t see me. It sees the suffering in Gaza, but not what brought the war there — Hamas’s planning, the murder of families on Oct. 7, the people dragged from their homes and from a music festival. In this story, maybe I am collateral damage too.”
During his captivity, Shem Tov said he was held mostly in apartments in active combat zones and feared Israeli airstrikes because Israel did not know his location.
At times, he said, his captors fled when they expected an attack and left him behind.
“If an Israeli bomb had killed me, Hamas would have won twice: I would have died, and Israel would have been responsible,” he wrote.
One captor told Shem Tov that the IDF had called his mother to warn her to leave her home ahead of a possible Israeli strike.
Shem Tov contrasted that warning with Hamas’ treatment of him, saying his captors knew where he was but left him exposed to possible attack.
Israel used leaflets, messages, phone calls and evacuation orders to reduce civilian casualties, Shem Tov wrote, while decisions not to carry out some strikes gave Hamas additional time and increased risks to Israeli troops and hostages.
He also described his captors celebrating after Hamas terrorists killed Israeli soldiers. After Israel bombed the area where he was being held the following day, Shem Tov said the terrorist beside him viewed the destruction as evidence of Hamas’ success.
NAZA received a standing ovation lasting more than 24 minutes at the Venice Film Festival. Shem Tov said Palestinian suffering depicted in the film was “real and deserves to be seen,” but objected to the absence of the Oct. 7 attack and hostage-taking from its account.
“There must never be another Oct. 7,” he concluded. “We have the right to make sure there isn’t. And we shouldn’t be ashamed of that.”
Do You Love Israel? Make a Donation - Show Your Support!
Donate to vital charities that help protect Israeli citizens and inspire millions around the world to support Israel too!
Now more than ever, Israel needs your help to fight and win the war -- including on the battlefield of public opinion.
Antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and boycotts are out of control. Israel's enemies are inciting terror and violence against innocent Israelis and Jews around the world. Help us fight back!
STAND WTH ISRAEL - MAKE A DONATION TODAY!