(JNS) Unverified footage showing three female Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza has been released by the terrorist organisation.
In the recording, three women are seated on plastic chairs as one of them directly addresses the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
The families of the hostages have asked the public to refrain from viewing the footage, believed to have been recorded under duress, and the JC is not identifying the women.
Israel has confirmed that the women in the video are hostages, but said it was not clear when the video had been recorded.
In the recording, one of the women says in Hebrew: “Hello Bibi Netanyahu. We [have been] in Hamas captivity [for] 23 days. Yesterday there was a press conference with the families of the hostages. We know that there was supposed to be a ceasefire. You were supposed to release all of us. You made a commitment to release all of us.
She continues: “Instead of this, we are getting punished for the political, national neglect of yours – because of that screw-up of yours on October 7. Because there was no military there. Nobody came. Nobody heard about us.
The woman adds: “We are innocent citizens. Citizens who pay taxes to the State of Israel. [We are] in captivity … You want to kill us all. You want to kill us all using the IDF … It isn’t enough that Israeli citizens were killed.”
“Let us go. Let us go now. Let their citizens go, let their prisoners go. Free us. Free all of us. Let us return to our families now!” the video concludes.
The Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem called the video “cruel psychological propaganda by Hamas-ISIS.”
In a post on X/Twitter Netanyahu addressed the women in return, saying: "I embrace you. Our hearts go out to you and the other abductees. Our hearts are with you and the other hostages. We are doing everything to bring all the hostages and missing people home."
On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant rejected a Hamas offer to exchange the 239 hostages being held in Gaza for thousands of Palestinian terrorists in Israeli prisons, branding the suggestions “psychological games,” despite some families advocating for this approach.
“If there is no military pressure on Hamas, nothing will progress,” Gallant told relatives of the hostages, according to a Defense Ministry statement. “The stories published by Hamas are part of its psychological games. Hamas is cynically using those who are dear to us.”
Hamas leader Yaha Sinwar said on Saturday that the terrorist group is ready for a prisoner swap with Israel.
“We are ready to conduct an immediate prisoner exchange deal that includes the release of all Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in exchange for all prisoners held by the Palestinian resistance,” Sinwar said in a statement.
Some families who have loved ones held by Hamas said that Israel should accept the proposal.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari dismissed Sinwar’s statement, describing it as “psychological terror cynically used by Hamas to create pressure."
He said: “Nothing is on the table regarding the abductees."
Hagari added: “We are all doing everything to bring the hostages home. It is a top priority."
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