Hamas has released propaganda videos providing proof of live for two more hostages, the American-Israeli Keith Siegel and Israeli captive Omri Miran.
In one of the clips Mr Siegel makes a plea to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to negotiate with Hamas for a hostage release deal.
Mr Siegel, a US citizen, was kidnapped alongside his wife from their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on 7 October when the militant group attacked Israel.
This is the second video of hostages speaking, and calling on Mr Netanyahu for negotiations, released by Hamas this week.
On Wednesday, the militant group released a propaganda video of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, showing him alive but with an amputated left arm.
The earlier video, published on Hamas’s Telegram channel, showed Mr Goldberg-Polin wearing a red shirt and with his left hand missing.
That video was the first proof of life provided publicly for Mr Goldberg-Polin since his capture.
The families of hostages still held by Hamas have repeatedly criticised Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for not doing enough to secure their release.
The Israeli prisoner Omri Miran and the American-Israeli Keith Siegel are two more hostages whose lives have been documented by Hamas through propaganda videos. During October 7th attacks in Gaza, both men were taken prisoner by the militant group.
One of the videos features Mr. Siegel pleading with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold talks with Hamas about a possible hostage release agreement. The video was shot this week on Thursday, as Mr. Miran states in it that he has been held captive for 202 days.
The two men stated they could not observe the Jewish holiday of Passover, which concludes on Tuesday, and they were obviously under duress.
The Independent was unable to confirm the exact time and location of the video shoots right away.
When the militant group attacked Israel on October 7, Mr. Siegel, a US citizen, and his wife were abducted from their Kibbutz Kfar Aza home. Later, in November, after a brief ceasefire, she was freed.
From Kibbutz Nir Oz, Mr. Miran was taken prisoner.
The families of the most recent two hostages to be seen on camera alive declared that they would keep fighting for their men’s safe return home. They also put pressure on the Israeli government to negotiate a fresh agreement for the release of the hostages.
“I love you, Keith. We will fight until you return,” his spouse Aviva said in a recorded message.
Ilan, his daughter, also requested assistance from the Israeli authorities. My father’s presence today serves as a reminder to all of us of how urgently we need to come to an agreement and get everyone home. I insist that the nation’s leaders view this video and see their father pleading for assistance. “.
In the same video statement, the other daughter of Mr. Siegel said, “You saw that my father knows that we are all coming to the rally every week and fighting for him and all the captives. “.
In response to Hamas’ most recent hostage video, the Israeli government has not commented.
This is the second video that Hamas has released this week featuring hostages speaking and pleading with Mr. Netanyahu to engage in negotiations.
A propaganda video featuring Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin was released by the militant group on Wednesday. The video depicts Goldberg-Polin alive, but with his left arm amputated.
When Hamas and other Islamist organizations attacked southern Israel on October 7, it kidnapped hundreds of people, including Mr. Goldberg-Polin. This attack sparked the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Mr. Goldberg-Polin was seen in the previous video, which was posted on Hamas’s Telegram channel, missing his left hand and sporting a red shirt. The 23-year-old was hurt by a grenade during an attack by Hamas while he was at the Nova music festival in southern Israel.
That video served as Mr. Goldberg-Polin’s first publicly available proof of life following his apprehension. He appears pale and gaunt with a buzz cut, and he criticizes the Israeli government for abandoning the people who are being held captive by Hamas and are supposedly living in “hell.”.
Families of hostages who are still being held by Hamas have frequently criticized the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not doing enough to secure their release.
On October 7, it is thought that Hamas and other militant organizations kidnapped about 250 people. It’s likely that these groups still have about 100 hostages in captivity, along with the remains of almost thirty more.
