فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, released a new video on Saturday of an Israeli hostage held in the Gaza Strip, calling on his government to secure his release. This is the second such recording released by the movement in less than a week.
The hostage in the video, which is over three minutes long, has been identified as Elkana Bohbot, who was abducted from the Nova music festival in southern Israel during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which ignited the war in the Gaza Strip.
In the video, whose date and location of recording could not be verified, Bohbot speaks in Hebrew and demands his release, warning that Israeli bombardment could cost him his life. He also pleads to be reunited with his wife and son.
It is worth noting that another video was released last Monday, featuring Bohbot alongside another hostage named Youssef Haim Ohana, both of whom were abducted from the Nova festival. In that video, the two men spoke about the dangers they have faced since the resumption of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on March 18, after a ceasefire that lasted about two months.
The release of this video comes at a time when a senior Hamas official announced that the movement has approved a new ceasefire proposal in Gaza presented by mediators, while Israel indicated that it has submitted a “counter-proposal” to the mediators.
Palestinian sources close to Hamas reported that discussions began on Thursday evening in Doha to reach an agreement for the release of hostages held in Gaza since the October 7 attack.
It should be noted that the indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, had reached a deadlock since the end of the first phase of the ceasefire on March 1. That phase resulted in the return of 33 Israeli hostages to Israel, including eight deceased, in exchange for the release of about 1,800 Palestinian detainees.
Of the 251 hostages abducted on October 7, 129 are still held in Gaza, including 34 killed according to the Israeli army. Hamas had warned that the hostages would return “in coffins” if Israel did not stop its bombardment of the Strip.
On Saturday evening, thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv, demanding that the government of Benjamin Netanyahu accept a ceasefire agreement. Former hostages and relatives of detainees held in Gaza spoke at the rally.
Former hostage Yair Horn, whose brother Eitan is still held in Gaza, said, “Soon, Israel will celebrate Passover, and I hope we can celebrate Passover with the hostages, so that we can truly celebrate.” He added, “Mr. Prime Minister, let’s reach an agreement without fighting.”
