March 2nd 2025.
In a recent development, Hamas has released a video of Eitan Horn, an Israeli-Argentine hostage who has been held captive in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023. The video, approved by Horn's family for release in Israeli media, shows the emotional moment when Eitan had to part ways with his elder brother Iair, who was also held hostage but was released two weeks ago as part of the initial phase of a Gaza truce deal between Israel and Hamas.
According to reports from Xinhua news agency, the video also features Sagui Dekel-Chen, another hostage who was freed along with Iair. However, the faces of two other hostages remain blurred in the footage. In the video, Eitan can be seen making a heartfelt plea to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to secure the release of all remaining hostages and to put an end to the separation of families.
In response to the video, Netanyahu's office dismissed it as Hamas propaganda, stating that the hostages were being forced to convey psychological messages. The office further emphasized that Israel will not be intimidated and will continue to work tirelessly to bring back all the hostages and achieve its war goals.
However, the negotiations for the next stages of the Gaza ceasefire agreement are currently at a standstill. While Hamas is calling for international pressure to push Israel to move on to the second phase of the deal, Israel is insisting on extending the first phase for another 42 days with more hostage swaps and detainee releases.
As of now, there are still 59 Israeli hostages in Gaza, with 24 of them believed to be alive. Hamas has rejected Israel's proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, stating that it is unacceptable. In a statement, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem called on the mediators and guarantor countries to ensure that Israel abides by the agreement in all its stages.
This latest development has once again highlighted the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas, and the plight of the hostages caught in the middle. As the negotiations continue, the fate of these hostages remains uncertain, and their families continue to hope for their safe return.
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