On Tuesday, a selection of Congress members were privy to a screening of a harrowing 46-minute film, compiled by the Israeli military, showcasing the brutal attacks by Hamas on October 7.
The film, a chilling montage of body cam and CCTV footage, social media images, and victims' phone captures, left a profound impact on the attendees, as reported by the Jewish Insider.
The footage graphically depicted the merciless slaughter of hundreds of Israeli civilians by Hamas. The film's conclusion was met with silence, punctuated by the sobs of some elected officials. Democratic Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington was reportedly so overwhelmed by the footage that she left the screening mere minutes after it began.
Democratic Representative Haley Stevens of Michigan took to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to express her shock and horror. "This morning I viewed the horrific footage of Hamas killing, torturing, and kidnapping Israeli civilians," she wrote. "Im gutted. This is barbarism and an attack on all humanity. We cannot let this ever happen again and we must never forget.
The Daily Caller News Foundation, which also had the opportunity to view the film, reported scenes of Hamas operatives killing civilians in their cars, homes, and bomb shelters.
The footage also showed the terrorists exulting over the corpses and celebrating their heinous acts. In one particularly chilling clip, a Hamas operative is seen calling his parents, instructing his father to open WhatsApp to "see how many [Jews] I killed with my bare hands."
Speaker Mike Johnson, in a conversation with reporters on Tuesday, described the atmosphere in the auditorium during the screening as so silent "you could have heard a pin drop," as reported by The Hill. He added, "We had a large group of Republican and Democrat House members in the auditorium this morning, and you could have heard a pin drop except for the sighs and the cries in the room because the video would make anyone with a soul cry."
Since the initial wave of attacks, the death toll in Israel has surpassed 1,400. In response, Israel has deployed troops into Gaza in an attempt to eradicate Hamas. The Israeli military recently shared an image of the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza's parliament building. Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Hamas has "lost control of Gaza," as reported by The Times of Israel.
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a known advocate for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel since the October attacks, was also present at the screening, according to the Jewish Insider. However, Republican Representative Mike Lawler of New York countered this viewpoint, stating he could not fathom how "anyone could call for a cease-fire after watching that."
Republican Representative Darrell Issa of California expressed his resolve to support Israel in its fight against Hamas. "Watching the footage made me sick to my stomach, but also more determined than ever to support Israel in its battle against Hamas and its war for survival," he told the DCNF. "This was like visiting Auschwitz or Birkenau, except the events occurred barely a month ago. America must stand with Israel. And Israel must win.
The Senate is scheduled to view the film on Thursday, as reported by the Jewish Insider. Representatives Haley, Gluesenkamp Perez, Ocasio-Cortez, and Lawler have yet to respond to the DCNFs request for comment.
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