In new video, hostages held in Gaza say 'we are being punished for Netanyahu's failures'

The Palestinian resistance has released a video which appears to show three of the prisoners of war being held in Gaza.

The footage, in which the women are wearing Arab dress and are seated together facing the camera, sees one of them address Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and say: “Hello Bibi Netanyahu. We are in Hamas captivity [already] 23 days. Yesterday there was a press conference with the families of the hostages. We know that there was supposed to be a ceasefire. You were supposed to release all of us. You made a commitment to release all of us.”

“Instead,” she continues, “we are getting punished for your political, national neglect – because of that screw-up of yours on October 7. Because there was no military there. Nobody came. Nobody heard us.”

Calling for their immediate release, she says Netanyahu must “release all Palestinian prisoners now! All of them!”

According to Reuters, Netanyahu identified the women as Yelena Trupanob, Danielle Aloni and Rimon Kirsht, with Aloni addressing an angry message to the prime minister. Though only one of the women speaks, another can be seen nodding in agreement and caressing the other’s arm as she addresses the camera.

All three appear tired but in otherwise good health and show no obvious signs of abuse.

The video was released on the resistance’s social media channels.

Netanyahu condemned the video as “cruel psychological propaganda.”

NOTE: This page was updated on 31 October 2023 at 12.17 GMT to include the names of the hostages who appeared in the video.

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