Hamas Releases New Video of Hostage Eitan Horn; Israel Remains Resolute

Synopsis

Hamas has released a video of Eitan Horn, an Israeli-Argentine hostage, who was abducted on October 7, 2023. In the video, Horn pleads for the release of hostages. Israel's government dismisses the video as propaganda, stating their commitment to recovering all hostages.

Key Takeaways

Hamas released a video featuring hostage Eitan Horn.
Israel's government rejects the video as propaganda.
Negotiations for a ceasefire agreement are stalled.
59 Israeli hostages remain, with 24 believed alive.
Hamas demands international pressure on Israel for further negotiations.

Jerusalem, March 2 (NationPress) Hamas has unveiled a video featuring Israeli-Argentine hostage Eitan Horn, who was abducted on October 7, 2023, and has since been detained in the Gaza Strip.

The clip, permitted by Horn's family for dissemination in Israeli media, captures Eitan, aged 38, bidding farewell to his older brother Iair, who was also taken hostage but released two weeks prior as part of the 42-day initial phase of a Gaza truce agreement between Israel and Hamas, which concluded earlier on Saturday, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

The footage further shows hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, released alongside Iair, along with two other hostages whose faces have been obscured.

In the video, Eitan implored, "Get everyone out and don't separate families anymore," calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance to the second phase of the truce arrangement to ensure the release of other hostages.

In reaction, Netanyahu's office condemned the video as "Hamas propaganda," asserting that "hostages are coerced into delivering psychological warfare messages."

It emphasized in a statement that "Israel will not be deterred" and "will persist in its efforts to return all hostages and achieve all military objectives."

Negotiations surrounding the subsequent stages of the Gaza ceasefire agreement are currently at a standstill. Hamas has requested international pressure on Israel to move forward to the second phase of the agreement, while Israel has insisted on merely extending the initial phase for another 42 days with additional exchanges of hostages and detainees.

Currently, 59 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with 24 of them still thought to be alive.

Previously, Hamas stated that the Israeli proposal to extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement is "unacceptable."

"The proposed extension of the initial phase by the occupation is unacceptable to us, and the mediators and guarantor nations must compel the occupation to adhere to the agreement in all its phases," Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem remarked in a statement on Saturday.