Hamas posts video of three hostages asking Netanyahu to negotiate

Hamas released a video on Monday in which three kidnapped Israeli women call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to negotiate their freedom. In the video, posted to Hamas' social media pages, the women accuse the prime minister of not having acted on Oct. 7 to stop the Hamas massacre and of not having rescued the hostages by declaring a ceasefire. The three women were identified as Yelena Trupanob, Danielle Aloni and Rimon Kirscht.

Prime Minister Netanyahu posted a response to the video, which he described as "cruel psychological propaganda" by Hamas. "To Yelena Trupanob, Daniel Aloni and Rimon Kirsht, who were abducted by Hamas, which is committing war crimes. I embrace you. Our hearts are with you and the other the [sic.] captives," Netanyahu said on X (formerly Twitter). "We are doing everything to bring home all of the captives and missing."

One of the hostages who speaks in the video harshly addresses Netanyahu directly. For these reasons and the threatening context in which the words were uttered, the prime minister considered that the hostages' message was a clear case of manipulation.

"We know that there is supposed to be a ceasefire. You were supposed to free us all," one of the hostages exclaims to the camera. Along with these reproaches, the hostage also blames Netanyahu and his government for the events of Oct. 7, when they were captured.

Hamas using the hostages

It is the third time that Hamas has carried out an action linked to the hostages since the Oct. 7 attacks. The first time Hamas published the video of a young hostage held somewhere in Gaza. A week later he released two elderly women captured in the kibbutzim of southern Israel for "humanitarian reasons."