Hamas releases video of Israeli-American hostage

2024-11-30 22:00:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Palestinian militant group Hamas released a video on Saturday of an Israeli-American hostage calling on President-elect Donald Trump to secure his release from captivity.

Family members of 20-year-old soldier Edan Alexander declined to comment, but agreed to release the three-and-a-half-minute video. Mr. Alexander was taken hostage in Gaza during the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas in southern Israel.

In the video, he appears pale, sitting in a dark space with a wall behind him. After identifying himself, he addresses his family, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President-elect Trump. It is not clear whether his comments were prepared by the hostage takers.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a statement that the video was a cruel tool of psychological warfare and that he told Mr. Alexander's family by phone that Israel is working non-stop to return the hostages to the homeland.

About half of the 101 people still being held hostage in Gaza who have not been contacted are believed to be alive.

Hamas leaders were expected to be in Cairo on Saturday for ceasefire talks with Egyptian officials to explore ways to reach a deal that would see the hostages released in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Contacts resumed after Washington said this week it was renewing efforts to achieve that goal.

The Hostage Families Forum called on the administrations of outgoing President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office in January, to step up efforts to reach an agreement to release the hostages.

"The lives of the hostages depend on a thread," said the members of the hostages' families.

According to officials in Gaza, Israel's campaign has killed at least 44,200 people and displaced nearly the entire population at least once.

The war was sparked by Hamas militants, who attacked communities in southern Israel 13 months ago. According to Israeli authorities, they killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages./ VOA