Dozens of pastors gathered at the Israeli Embassy Monday for a private screening of raw footage and audio of Hamas gunning down civilians in their homes and bragging about killing Jews as they seek to bear witness to the brutality of the Oct. 7 attacks.
In partnership with the embassy, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews hosted the screening of a 45-minute video compiled by the Israeli government showcasing the murders committed by Hamas on civilians in southern Israel.
The footage shown during the event was collected from various sources, including Hamas body cameras, security cameras, social media posts, cell phone cameras and first responders.
The event did not permit attendees to record the footage due to concern that some victims' families have yet to see the graphic videos and photos of their dead loved ones.
Before the screening began, Eliav Benjamin, the embassy's deputy head of mission, delivered opening remarks, contending that Israel shouldn't apologize for any of its actions and must defend its people. The screening comes amid mounting calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. After Hamas militants killed over 1,400 people (over 1,110 civilians) in its Oct. 7 surprise attack, the Hamas-run health authorities state that over 11,000 people in Gaza have been killed since Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes and a ground offensive last month.
Benjamin stressed that Israel is fighting a "just war," not just on its behalf but on behalf of the free world, and is doing all that it can to prevent civilian casualties.
"This is not a war of religion," Benjamin said. "It is, in a way, a war of civilizations, or the civil world against those who don't believe in civilizations."