Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the
video released by Hamas terrorists as “cruel psychological propaganda” on
Monday (local time), reported Reuters.
The video shows three women hostages – identified by
Netanyahu as Yelena Trupanob, Danielle Aloni and Rimon Kirsht – seized by the
terror group on October 7 and sitting side by side against a bare wall, with
Aloni addressing an angry message to the Prime Minister.
Blaming Netanyahu of failing to protect Israeli
citizens during the deadly Hamas attack and failing to get them back home, she
called for a deal to secure their release in exchange for Palestinian
prisoners.
“You were supposed to free all of us. You committed to
free us all. But instead, we are carrying your political, security, military
and diplomatic failure,” she said.
In a statement, Netanyahu repeated a pledge to make
every effort to bring the hostages home.
“Abducted by Hamas, which is committing war crimes, I
embrace you. Our hearts are with you and with the other captives. We are doing
everything to bring home all the captives and the missing,” he said.
Aloni’s father, Ramos Aloni, said his heart almost
stopped when he saw his daughter in the video, feeling shocked but also
relieved that she was alive.
“Until today, we did not know any confirmed
information about her,” he told reporters who gathered in Tel Aviv.
Aloni is in captivity along with five others from his
family, including three-year-old twin grandchildren, he said.
Rimon Kirsht’s daughter Avital Kirscht said they would
do everything to bring her home and demanded the hostages receive urgent
medical care.
“I don’t wish any mother to have to go through what we
have been going through for the past 24 days,” she said.
“I saw the video today and I am worried. Rimon was
without eyeglasses. For 24 days, she couldn’t see. She needs glasses.”
The short video is the second hostage message issued
by Hamas, following an earlier clip of 21-year-old Franco-Israeli woman Mia
Schem that was released on October 17.
According to Israeli authorities, at least 239
hostages, both Israeli and foreign, were taken captive by Hamas gunmen during
the attack, which killed at least 1,400 people.
The presence of the hostages in Gaza has complicated
the ground operation in the enclave begun by Israeli forces last week,
following an intense campaign of airstrikes that Palestinian authorities say
has killed more than 8,000 people.
Four hostages have been released so far, but efforts
to secure additional releases through back-channel efforts coordinated by Qatar
appear to have been put on hold following the start of the ground operation.
Israeli forces operating in Gaza also freed a captive
soldier, authorities said on Monday.
Reuters
