Israel-Palestine: Pizzeria destroyed after Israeli Holocaust survivor kidnapped by Hamas

The owners of the pizza restaurant, located in the town of Huwara, took to Facebook to share an edited photograph of the elderly woman, whose photograph was snapped during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

The Holocaust survivor was seen in a distressing video following her capture by Hamas, with the woman sitting in her wheelchair with a machine gun in her lap and with what appears to be a masked fighter beside her.

On the pizzeria’s Facebook page, the picture had been crudely edited to show her holding a pizza alongside the phrase “you are welcome” with several laughing emojis, according to the Times of Israel.

The picture was reportedly advertising a deal for a family sized pizza.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered that the eatery, called the Eiffel Bakery and Supermarket, be destroyed.

Many Israelis in the town gathered outside the restaurant after the advertisement appeared online, calling for their government to take action.

The Israel Defence Forces arrived at the pizzeria on Thursday, detaining the owners and ordering the eatery to be shut down, citing its alleged support of terrorist activities.

The owners of the establishment have claimed that someone else had posted the offensive ad on their Facebook page without their consent and have since issued an apology.

“We are against harming men and women and just want to earn a living with dignity and live in peace with everyone,” it read.

“We are very sorry to the members of our family and others who were hurt.”

More than 2200 people have been killed in Israel’s bombing campaign of Gaza Strip, Palestinian authorities say, in the aftermath of Hamas’ attack on Israel last weekend, in which more than 1300 people were killed.

In an update on the attack, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, told a press conference “grandparents and the elderly, among them holocaust survivors, who endured the Nazis, were violently dragged from their homes, this time by Hamas, and taken into Gaza.”

Holding up a photo, Mr Erdan said an unidentified Holocaust survivor and grandmother was held in captivity and forced to pose with a Hamas rifle.

“This is inhumane. Inhumane,” he said.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the Australian Government is planning “multiple” repatriation flights from Tel Aviv for citizens wanting to leave.

“We are co-ordinating options with partners who are helping their citizens with departures,” Senator Wong said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“The situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories continues to change rapidly,” the post read.

“Subject to factors including the security environment, the Australian Government is planning multiple flights to depart from Tel Aviv today, for Australians wanting to leave.

“We are also arranging flights to assist travellers with their onward journey from Dubai to Australia.

“A further update will be provided directly to registered Australians in coming hours.”