Hamas releases video of hostage urging Israel for deal

GAZA CITY, Palestine

An Israeli female captive in Gaza on Friday urged her compatriots to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to agree on a hostage-prisoner swap deal with the Palestinians.

The Hamas group released a video that included an audio message from the hostage in which she called on the Israelis to rally and not to keep the fate of captives in the hands of Netanyahu and the war cabinet.

"Will my and my colleagues' fate be like Ron Arad," she said, referring to the Israeli airman who has been missing in Lebanon since 1986.

The Times of Israel newspaper identified the hostage as Noa Argamani as her family confirmed her voice.

Israel has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians in Gaza since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 which claimed 1,200 lives and around 250 were taken as hostages. As many as 105 captives were released as part of a brief truce in November in exchange of 240 Palestinian prisoners.

Around 125 people remain held captive, with many of them believed to be dead due to Israeli airstrikes.

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt, have so far failed to agree on a permanent cease-fire.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar