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Shakeba Morrad video: US lawyer slammed for mocking Israelis pleading for release of hostages in viral clip

Morrad serves as an attorney at the office of General Counsel for the US Department of Veteran Affairs

WASHINGTON, DC: Shakeba Morrad, a US attorney, has been facing considerable wrath online after posting a video of herself mocking Israelis pleading for the release of their citizens held captive by Hamas.

Morrad, who serves as an attorney at the office of General Counsel for the US Department of Veteran Affairs, initially posted the video on her Instagram but deleted it after online backlash over its content.

“We just want our hostages back. Give us our 200 hostages,” she said in a mocking voice in the controversial video, which has received more than two million views on X (formerly known as Twitter).

In the video, Morrad was apparently mocking the pleas made by devastated Israelis just before the ongoing ceasefire with Hamas, who bombarded the Jewish state with nearly 2000 missiles on October 7 and launched dozens of ground attacks, killing 1400 civilians and kidnapping others.

In retaliation, Israel has since been pounding Gaza with airstrikes, killing more than 11,100 Palestinians since the initial October 7 attack.

Internet reacts to Shakeba Morrad’s video

Morrad’s mocking video has garnered immense social media attention, with users slamming her for mocking the pleas made by the Israeli government and devastated families.

“What a pathetic display of gross immaturity, inconsistent with her status as an attorney with the US government. She should be outfitted with a uniform more appropriate for janitorial duties and re-assigned to that department, away from public exposure,” one user said.

“I think she may be suffering from psychosis caused by excessive tooth bleaching...” the second user mocked while the third user attacked ‘I agree with other posts. Send her for a couple of weeks to Iran. See who is whining then. She should not be a federal employee. Gone.”

“@ShirionOrg, How do we have an Attorney representing a branch of government mocking hostages?!?!?” the fourth user wrote.

“This employee needs to be dealt with. This is not acceptable behavior for an attorney, let alone a government attorney of the Veterans Administration. Imagine how she deals with Veterans/Veterans issues that she doesn't care for or agree with?” the fifth user said.

“Fire the clown. She doesn’t represent us veterans,” one more user slammed. “This so-called attorney should not be near veterans and certainly should not be working for our government,” another one wrote.

Ceasefire between Hamas and Israel

Morrad’s video came just a few days after Hamas militants released 17 hostages, including 13 Israelis, from captivity in the Gaza Strip, while Israel freed 39 Palestinian inmates as a part of a four-day cease-fire.

The United States and Qatar mediated the cease-fire, which is the first prolonged pause in hostilities since the start of the conflict.

As per the conditions of the ceasefire, Hamas is said to release at least 50 Israeli hostages, and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners. All are women and minors.

However, declaring that the ceasefire can be prolonged by one day for each ten hostages released, Israel has threatened to swiftly restart its attack in order to accomplish its objectives of releasing all captives and dismantling Hamas' military and political capacity.