Hamas releases video of Israeli-American captive held in Gaza
Palestinian group Hamas released on Wednesday a video of an Israeli-American man held captive in Gaza and seen alive in the footage.
Israel calls use of captive videos by Hamas ‘psychological warfare’
We earlier reported that Hamas has released a video of an Israeli-American captive held in Gaza. Al Jazeera’s Bernard Smith, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem, said the nearly three-minute video of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin shows him openly criticizing Netanyahu.
In the video, he appears to say that the Israeli prime minister is “not doing enough, blames him for not getting the captives out”, Smith said.
“Remember, of course, when these videos are released, they are not speaking freely. They are being told what they can and cannot say by their captors,” Smith said. According to the footage, Goldberg-Polin said he is been “underground” for about 200 days, so there is “no fixed time on the video”, Smith said, adding that it is the first video of its kind in about three months.
“Israel calls the use of these videos ‘deplorable, psychological warfare’,” Smith said.
Captives’ families respond to Hamas video
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group resenting those held captive in Gaza and their families, has issued a statement responding to the video, saying that “time is running out” to ensure that all captives are returned.
“With each passing day, the fear of losing more innocent lives grows stronger,” the statement reads. “All the hostages must be brought home – those alive to begin the process of rehabilitation, and those murdered for a dignified burial. “This distressing video serves as an urgent call to take swift and decisive action to resolve this horrific humanitarian crisis and ensure the safe return of our loved ones”.
Mass protests have flooded the streets of cities around Israel on a weekly basis, demanding that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s government do more to bring home the captives, and more recently for an end to the war in Gaza and for new elections in Israel.
