Hamas released video of American-Israeli hostages in Gaza

JERUSALEM. The Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday released a video of an Israeli-American hostage pleading with US President-elect Donald Trump to release him from captivity.

The family of 20-year-old soldier Edan Alexander declined to comment, but allowed the 3.5-minute video to be released. Alexander was abducted to Gaza during an attack on October 7, 2023 Hamas in southern Israel.

The video shows a pale-looking Alexander sitting in a dark place near a wall, introducing himself, addressing his family, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Trump. It is unclear whether his statement was a script by the kidnappers.

Netanyahu said in a statement that the video was brutal psychological warfare and that he told Alexander’s family in a phone call that Israel was working tirelessly to return the hostages home.

About half of the 101 foreign and Israeli hostages still held incommunicado in Gaza are believed to be still alive.

Hamas leaders are expected to arrive in Cairo on Saturday for ceasefire talks with Egyptian officials to explore ways to reach a deal that could secure the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

The new bid comes after Washington said this week it was renewing efforts to meet that goal.

The Hostage Families Forum called on the administrations of both outgoing US President Joe Biden and Trump, who will take office in January, to step up efforts to secure the release of the hostages.

“The lives of the hostages hang in the balance,” the message reads.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell Editing by Toby Chopra and Peter Graff)