Sun Jan 05 05:08:32 UTC 2025: ## Hamas Releases Video of Israeli Hostage, Reigniting Pressure on Netanyahu
**Tel Aviv, January 5, 2025** – The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, released a video on Saturday purportedly showing Israeli soldier Liri Albag, 19, who was captured during the October 2023 attack on Israel. The undated, three-and-a-half-minute video shows Albag appealing in Hebrew for her release.
However, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, representing the families of abducted Israelis, stated that Albag’s family did not authorize the video’s release. They issued a statement pleading with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, world leaders, and decision-makers to prioritize the hostages’ return.
Albag, along with six other female soldiers, was captured at the Nahal Oz base. Five remain missing. In total, Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants seized 251 hostages during the October 2023 attacks, with 96 still held in Gaza. The Israeli military claims 34 hostages are dead.
Indirect negotiations for a truce and hostage release, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, resumed in Qatar on Friday night, though no updates have been released since. Weekly protests organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum continue to pressure Netanyahu to secure a deal. Critics accuse the Prime Minister of delaying a resolution. Netanyahu’s office confirmed on Thursday that Israeli negotiators were authorized to participate in the latest round of talks. The Forum insists the video is further proof of the urgent need to bring the hostages home.
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