Hostage Omer Shem Tov Responds to 'Accidental Damage' Film

Omer Shem Tov, a former hostage held by Hamas, has published an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal responding to the film "Accidental Damage" (Naza). Shem Tov, who was held captive for 505 days, stated that he knows firsthand what it means to be "accidental damage." He recounted an experience where one of his captors told him that his mother received a warning call from the IDF about a potential Israeli strike, urging her to leave her home. Shem Tov described himself as a hostage, starved and tortured by the captor, while his own army tried to protect the captor's mother. He noted that the film received a standing ovation lasting over 24 minutes at the Venice Film Festival, which he found deeply painful, comparing the applause to a barrage of knives.