GAZA: Palestinian fighter group Hamas has published a video featuring two more hostages being held in Gaza.
In the undated footage, Omri Miran said he has been held captive for 202 days and Keith Siegel mentions the Passover holiday, suggesting the clips were filmed recently.
Both were captured when Hamas launched its deadly attacks on Israel on October 7.
Responding to the video, the families of the hostages have urged the Israeli government to secure a new hostage release deal.
A US citizen, Siegel, was kidnapped with his wife Aviva, though she was freed during a brief truce in November.
In a video statement Keith’s wife Aviva said: “Keith, I love you, we will fight until you return.”
His daughter Ilan said: “Seeing my father today only emphasises to all of us how much we must reach a deal as soon as possible and bring everyone home. I demand that the leaders of this country watch this video and see their father crying out for help.”
Shir, another daughter of Keith said: “If you watched the video, you saw that my father knows we are all coming to the rally every week and fighting for him and all the captives.”
Omri Miran’s father, Dani Miran, urged Israeli PM Netanyahu to “approve any viable deal”.
“Take one small and bloodless step for both peoples,” he said, adding: “All the people of Israel and the nations of the world want to see an end to the bloodshed and especially an end to the suffering of your people.”
The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters said the video was “the clearest evidence that the Israeli government must do everything to approve a deal for the return of all the hostages”.
Keith Siegel and his wife were kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza near Gaza, while Omri Miran was taken captive from Kibbutz Nir Oz when Hamas attacked Israeli communities on 7 October.
Speaking under duress in the video released by the armed wing of Hamas, Siegel, 64, and Miran, 46, urged the Israeli government to agree a deal with Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
The new video comes as Hamas leadership said it was studying Israel’s latest proposal for a ceasefire.
Weeks of indirect talks have failed to yield a deal. Hamas rejected a previous proposal for a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the release of 40 of the remaining Israeli hostages.
