January 5th 2025.
The relatives of a hostage, who has recently appeared in a video released by Hamas, are urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to use this opportunity to make a ceasefire deal. They describe the footage as "heart-wrenching" and state that it has deeply affected them.
The video of 19-year-old Liri Albag has been released by Hamas' military wing while indirect negotiations for a possible ceasefire-for-hostages deal are resuming in Doha. However, according to Israeli and Egyptian officials, there hasn't been much progress in the talks.
In the video, Albag mentions the New Year, but there is no concrete evidence to confirm that it was filmed in the last few days. Albag was taken hostage along with other field observers from the Nachal Oz military base near Gaza during the militant group's cross-border attacks on October 7, 2023. These attacks resulted in the death of over 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 250 people.
As of December 5, 100 hostages were still being held by Hamas in Gaza, most of whom were taken during the attacks and some of whom have passed away. On the other hand, Israel's subsequent war on Hamas in Gaza has led to the deaths of more than 45,000 Palestinians, as stated by the health ministry in the enclave.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters has released two still frames from the latest video with the permission of Albag's family. The family has expressed their devastation and stated that the person in the video is not the daughter and sister they know. They also mention that Albag is not in a good state and her severe psychological distress is evident.
The family pleads for Albag's safe return and appeals to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other world leaders, stating that they should not miss this opportunity to bring back all the hostages. Their plea comes amid thousands of Israelis joining street protests in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and other parts of the country, demanding a deal to release the hostages. Many protestors held signs referencing Albag, including former hostage Almog Meir Jan, who was rescued after months in Hamas' captivity.
In his speech at the protest, Jan mentioned that the footage of Albag reminded him of his own time in captivity. He stated that he could see the longing, fear, exhaustion, and frustration in her eyes, as she doesn't understand why she's still being held. He also shared his own experience of being filmed by his captors and the fear and stress it brought upon him.
Yael Alexander, the mother of American hostage Edan Alexander, also addressed the crowd, urging the US, specifically President-elect Donald Trump, to use their influence to secure a deal. She believes that this would show the world what the United States is capable of.
In response to the family's pleas, Israeli officials have assured them that they are working tirelessly for the return of all the hostages, including Albag. Talks between Israel and Hamas are currently underway in Doha, Qatar, but little progress has been seen, according to sources. US President-elect Donald Trump has also given an ultimatum that there will be "hell to pay" if the hostages are not freed by January 20, when he takes office.
The Hostages Forum has stated that every day of captivity for the hostages poses an immediate risk of death and also makes it difficult to recover the bodies of those who have passed away. They have urged world leaders to take courageous action and bring back all the hostages, considering Trump's ultimatum. CNN, in accordance with the family's wishes, has not published the video or disclosed its contents, as it is believed that Albag was speaking under duress.
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