Hamas publishes a video of a hostage in Gaza who says he feels abandoned: "Netanyahu and his government should be ashamed"
The Islamist group Hamas released a video on Wednesday featuring one of the Israeli hostages in Gaza, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government for their insufficient efforts to secure their release.
“Benjamin Netanyahu and his government should be ashamed,” declares the young man, who lost a hand during the Hamas attacks on October 7.
In the video, Goldberg-Polin is seen sitting in a chair, delivering a message primarily aimed at Netanyahu but also conveying some words to his family on the occasion of the Passover holiday. “It won’t be a joyous holiday for me, but I wish it to be for you,” expresses the young man.
According to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli captive currently held in Gaza, the airstrikes carried out by the Israeli air force have killed at least 70 Israeli captives. pic.twitter.com/VslOGEWAi1
— Furkan Gözükara (@GozukaraFurkan) April 24, 2024
Goldberg-Polin is one of around 129 Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, although Hamas claims that many of them, approximately 70, may have already perished.
The Israeli government is engaging in indirect negotiations with Hamas through mediating countries like Qatar and Egypt in an attempt to reach a truce agreement that would facilitate the exchange of some hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. However, these talks have yet to yield any positive results.
He expresses his feeling of abandonment
“You should be ashamed for forsaking us for two hundred days, as all the efforts of the army have proven futile,” asserts the captive, accusing the Israeli Air Force, as alleged by Hamas, of having killed 70 hostages through bombings.
“Each passing day here, you neglect us more and more,” he laments.
On Tuesday, Majed al Ansari, the spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Qatar remains “committed” to mediating a ceasefire in Gaza. However, due to the “attacks” and “lack of seriousness” displayed by parties like Israel, Qatar is reassessing its role as a mediator.
“We are committed to mediation, but we are currently reevaluating everything,” the spokesperson announced during a press conference, highlighting that this decision is partly spurred by the “campaigns” against Qatar undertaken by Israeli government officials, revealing a “lack of seriousness” in attaining a resolution.