'He Was Told To Do So': Netizens Say Israeli Hostage Kissed Hamas Operative Under Pressure, Video Is Viral

Tel Aviv: A video is going viral on social media showing an Israeli hostage named Shem Tov kissing Hamas terrorist on the forehead before being released, as part of hostage-swap deal between Israel and the terror outfit. Shem Tov was released along with 5 other Israeli hostages on Saturday.

Reports said that Shem Tov appeared to be acting under pressure when he kissed one of the Hamas operative and blew kisses also to the crowd.

Many social media user also felt that the kissing act was staged and that Tov acted under pressure. A user named Jake Sneed took to X, formerly Twitter and said, “Yeah, I’m sure he was told to do that or he wasn’t leaving.”

Another user named Lior wrote, “It was planned, instructed and directed by the cameraman. If you watch the entire, zoomed out video, you can see the instructions moments before the kisses.”

As reactions on Israeli hostage kissing gesture continued to pour in on X, user Tony Eff felt, “Many reasons he might do that, none of them or any other excuses his kidnap."

A user named Ahmadraza said, “They treated him well. He looks completely healthy," while one Zahraddeen Saleh, took to the social media platform and expressed, “Let’s hope this small act leads to a bigger wave of peace. Every step counts towards harmony.”

Israel, US, Red Cross condemn staged release of hostages 

All six Israelis were among the last hostages held captive by Hamas and released in the first phase of ceasefire. They were handed over to the Red Cross.

Among the 6 hostages, three of them were held captive from the Nova music festival and another one was taken while visiting family in Southern Israel during the October 7, 2023 attack.

Remaining two were held captive for over a decade after they entered Gaza on their own.

Among the six released, Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov and Eliya Cohen were posed alongside Hamas fighters, during the staged ceremony which was condemned by the Red Cross, US and Israel.

Earlier Saturday, Tal Shoham, 40, and Avera Mengistu, 38, were freed. Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli, entered Gaza in 2014. His family told Israeli media he has struggled with mental health issues. The Israeli-Austrian Shoham was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri. His wife and two children were freed in a 2023 exchange.

The release of over 600 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel — the largest one-day prisoner release in the ceasefire’s first phase — did not occur just after the hostage releases as expected, apparently for Israeli security consultations on Saturday evening.

With inputs from AP