Hamas released a video Saturday of Liri Albag, a 19-year-old Israeli soldier taken hostage during the group’s October 2023 attack. The video, which runs three and a half minutes, shows Albag appealing in Hebrew for her release.
Albag’s family, speaking through the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, criticized the release of the video, saying it was unauthorized and distressing. “This is not the daughter and sister we know. Her severe psychological distress is evident,” the family said in a statement. They urged Israeli officials and global leaders to ensure the return of all hostages held in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to securing the hostages’ release. “Anyone who dares to harm our hostages will bear full responsibility for their actions,” he said in a statement.
Albag was 18 when she was captured at the Nahal Oz military base near the Gaza border. She is one of 96 hostages still held in Gaza, out of the 251 abducted during the October 2023 attack. The Israeli military has confirmed that 34 of the hostages have died.
Negotiations to secure a ceasefire and release the hostages resumed Friday in Qatar, mediated by officials from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed that an Israeli delegation traveled to Qatar to participate in the indirect talks.
“Efforts are underway to free the hostages,” Gallant told relatives of Albag, according to a statement from his office.
Weekly demonstrations organized by the hostages’ families continue to pressure Netanyahu’s government to prioritize the return of those held in Gaza. On Thursday, Netanyahu’s office announced that Israeli negotiators had joined the latest round of discussions in Qatar.
Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have previously released videos of hostages during the conflict, underscoring the high stakes of the ongoing negotiations.
