Hamas has released a disturbing video showing hostage Elkana Bohbot, 36, pleading for his release as the militant group warns that “time is running out.” Bohbot, who has been held captive for 540 days, emotionally appeals to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing the deep psychological toll of his captivity.
“I am the one who asked to do these videos. Hamas did not tell me to make these videos. This is not psychological warfare,” Bohbot says in the clip. “The real psychological warfare is what is going on inside my head, every morning when I wake up without my son and my wife… it’s making me crazy!”
The propaganda video, titled “Time is Running Out,” marks the second footage of Bohbot released by Hamas in five days, following the collapse of a ceasefire reached in January. The truce was disrupted after Israel resumed airstrikes in Gaza, leading to ongoing negotiations to restore peace.
Bohbot was abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly cross-border raid, killing 1,200 Israelis. In a previous video, Hamas also featured hostage Yosef-Haim Ohana. An estimated 59 hostages remain in Gaza, while many have been exchanged in prisoner swaps or died in captivity.
The resurgence of violence has resulted in devastating losses. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli strikes have killed over 50,000 Palestinians since the conflict reignited. Israel, however, claims around 20,000 militants have been neutralized, though evidence has not been provided.
Hamas is pushing for a reinstatement of the ceasefire, but Israel has intensified military operations. Tensions have escalated further with protests from Palestinian civilians chanting “Hamas out!” and “Hamas are terrorists,” calling for an end to violence.
Extraordinary footage shows demonstrators holding banners reading “We want to live in peace” and “Stop the War.” The mass protests come amid a separate wave of anti-government demonstrations in Israel, with Prime Minister Netanyahu accusing opposition forces of fueling “anarchy.”
As negotiations stall and hostilities persist, the humanitarian crisis deepens, displacing nearly 90% of Gaza’s population and reducing vast areas to rubble. The international community continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid access.
