It was Hamas' armed branch, al-Qassam Brigade, that on Saturday publicly released the video recording featuring the now 19-year-old soldier Liri Albag, who was taken hostage on October 7, 2023.
The three-and-a-half-minute recording is not dated, and its authenticity has not been confirmed by the news agency AFP.
In the video, Albag appeals to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the international community to work towards releasing the hostages.
The video prompted thousands of Israelis to gather for demonstrations, demanding that the Israeli government do more to free those still being held captive.
Netanyahu has spoken with Liri Elbag's parents, assuring them that efforts are being made to address the hostage issue. Elbag's family responds that she "is alive, and must remain so – everything depends on you," according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
Israel confirms that talks are underway regarding the release of the hostages. Negotiations are taking place in Qatar, but the parties are negotiating through mediators USA, Egypt, and Qatar. A stumbling block in the talks, according to The Times of Israel, is that Hamas refuses to provide Israel with a list of hostages who could be released in a first phase.
Around 250 people were taken hostage in the October attack on Israel. Over 90 of them are believed to be in Gaza, but the Israeli military estimates that a third of them are dead.
