Hamas released Monday a video showing three of the more than 230 people Israel says were seized by Hamas in massive October 7 raids.The three women in Monday's video were seen sitting on plastic chairs against a tile wall at an undisclosed location.One of them, speaking in Hebrew, urges Netanyahu to agree a prisoner exchange for the release of all captives.She makes agitated hand gestures and starts shouting, almost screaming by the end of the statement.The two women sitting either side of her remain silent but on edge.Israel says 239 people were seized by Hamas fighters who crossed the border on October 7. Hamas's armed wing has said that "almost 50" of them had been killed in Israeli strikes, which according to the Hamas-run health ministry have also killed more than 8,300 people in Gaza, more than half women and children.Israeli officials say the hostages' ages range from a few months to more than 80 years.Authorities believe hostages are being held in a giant underground network of tunnels built by Hamas.Four women including two US citizens have been freed following mediation by Qatar and Egypt.Yocheved Lifshitz, an 85-year-old freed last week, said she was led through a "spider web" of tunnels after being abducted and taken to Gaza on the back of a motorbike.Hamas released a video showing Israeli-French hostage Mia Shem on October 16. Those images were condemned by the Israeli and French governments.Netanyahu, whose government has acknowledged security failures before the attacks, met some families of hostages on Saturday and President Isaac Herzog met others on Monday following criticism that the relatives had been ignored.
October 30, 2023 | 10:02 PM