This is the moment a fearless Israeli woman fought to free herself from seven Hamas gunmen as they dragged her back to Gaza amid their brutal October 7 attacks.
Amit Soussana, 40, found herself alone and surrounded by armed attackers with no way to defend themselves as they marched her to the border after tearing her out of the Kfar Aza kibbutz.
But any sense of bowing to the will of her captors in the hope of less cruel treatment was drowned out by her steadfast refusal to go quietly.
The astonishing footage, captured by a security camera according to Times of Israel, showed a terrorist lifting the Israeli lawyer onto his back, only to fall to the ground as she kicked and writhed against him.
As they hold her down, the attackers can be seen punching Amit as they tried to wrap her in a scarf or blanket, but she still fought back, twisting and kicking.
Ultimately, the kidnappers were forced to bundle her into a car to take her back to Gaza, as they could not drag her on foot – a testament to Amit's sheer courage and determination in the face of almost certain death.
Amit Soussana, 40, found herself alone and surrounded by armed attackers with no way to defend themselves as they marched her to the border after tearing her out of the Kfar Aza kibbutz.
One terrorist lifted the Israeli lawyer onto his back, but fell to the ground as she kicked and writhed against him
Amit refused to go quietly, kicking and screaming until her captors bundled her into a car to drive back to Gaza
During her release, Amit is seen returning to Red Cross workers close to the Israel-Gaza border as a huge group of Palestinians surrounded her, cheering and chanting.
Living alone in Kfar Aza, Amit was an easy target for Hamas attackers, who discovered her hiding in a safe room in her property.
The lawyer, who works for the law firm Luzzatto & Luzzatto, was ill at the time of her capture and was recovering at home with a fever when Hamas stormed her kibbutz.
More than 1,200 Israelis were massacred on October 7, regardless of whether they tried to flee or resist their attackers, but Amit was one of many hostages dragged into Gaza and spent nearly eight weeks in captivity.
But she was released by Hamas last week, along with 21-year-old Mia Schem, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival last week, just one day before the weeklong ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired and hostilities resumed.
Footage of their release showed them being bundled out of a car and handed over to Red Cross workers near the Israel-Gaza border, as a huge group of Palestinians surrounded them, shouting and chanting.
On the morning of her return to Israel, family member Michael Cohen said, “I always hoped she would come back, but there was terrible tension.” This has been a difficult, crazy time. I can't wait to give her a hug.'
Living alone in Kfar Aza, Amit was an easy target for Hamas attackers, who discovered her hiding in a safe room in her property. The lawyer, who works for the law firm Luzzatto & Luzzatto, was ill at the time of her capture and was recovering at home with a fever when Hamas stormed her kibbutz.
Mia Schem was released along with Amit the day before the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired
Amit was released along with 21-year-old prisoner Mia Schem, who was hugged by relatives here
Mia is seen with family members at the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel after her release
Israel today continued its extensive ground operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, following the end of a seven-day ceasefire last week.
Hamas militants from Gaza launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
In response, Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and has carried out airstrikes and a ground offensive that have killed about 15,900 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-led Health Ministry.
During the ceasefire, Hamas released 80 Israeli hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Twenty-five other prisoners, mostly Thai, were released outside the scope of the deal.
But the Israeli military said 137 hostages were still being held in Gaza.