Hamas releases new video of Israeli hostages in Gaza

(CLO) On January 4, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, released a video of an Israeli hostage held in Gaza after the October 2023 attack.

The three-and-a-half-minute video, which is undated and has not been verified, shows 19-year-old soldier Liri Albag speaking in Hebrew, calling on the Israeli government to take action to ensure her release.

The Forum for Hostage and Families of Missing Persons, an advocacy group representing the victims' families, said Albag's family did not allow the video to be released.

Image of hostage Liri Albag in video. Screenshot.

"We appeal to the Prime Minister, world leaders and all those in authority: Make decisions as if these hostages were your children," her family said in a statement.

Liri Albag, who was captured at the age of 18, was one of seven female soldiers captured at the Nahal Oz base near the Gaza border. Five of them are still in detention.

Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have released several videos of Israeli hostages during the nearly 15-month conflict in Gaza.

Hamas militants took 251 hostages in the 2023 offensive. Of those, 96 are still in Gaza, and the Israeli military said 34 of them were killed.

Hamas said on Friday evening that indirect talks with Israel aimed at reaching a ceasefire and releasing hostages would resume in Qatar. However, there has been no update so far.

Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been trying to mediate for months but have failed to reach a resolution to the conflict.

In Israel, weekly protests organized by the hostage forum, most recently in Tel Aviv on Saturday, have increased pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been widely criticized for dragging his feet on reaching a deal to free the hostages.

The forum said the latest video was "clear and irrefutable evidence of the urgency to bring the hostages home".

Cao Phong (according to Guardian, Reuters, CNA)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/hamas-cong-bo-video-moi-ve-con-tin-israel-tai-gaza-post329032.html