In the footage, three women (Yelena Trupanob, Danielle Aloni and Rimon Kirsht, according to Netanyahu) sit side by side in front of a blank wall, with Aloni shouting at the prime minister.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the video released by Hamas on Monday, depicting three captives captured by the Islamist organization on October 7, as “cruel psychological propaganda.”
“I hug you who were kidnapped by Hamas, which committed war crimes. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the other captives. We are making every effort to return all missing and captives to their homes,” he said.
At 7pm. (1700 GMT) the women’s relatives were scheduled to hold a press conference.
Hamas released a new hostage video
In a new hostage video released by Hamas on Monday, three kidnapped Israeli women are seen begging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for help in securing their release.
In the film, which Netanyahu described as “cruel” propaganda, three people can be heard screaming about their continued detention among more than 200 people arrested after the killing of terrorists on October 7.
Women Accusing Netanyahu
“Hello, Bibi Netanyahu,” the woman in the middle says in Hebrew, according to a translation from the Jerusalem Post, which identified them as Yelena Tropanov, Danielle Aloni and Rimon Kirscht.
“We have been in Hamas captivity for 23 days,” she said.
“We know that there was supposed to be a cease-fire. You were supposed to release all of us. You made a commitment to release all of us,” she yells.
The woman then accuses Netanyahu of “political and national negligence” and of being “messed up” on October 7, the day of Hamas’ unexpected attack in Israel that killed more than 1,400 people.
The army was not present. It was empty. “No one heard us,” the captive claims. We are law-abiding citizens. Those who owe taxes to the State of Israel. You want us all to die. You want to use the IDF to kill us all.
“Killing Israeli citizens is not enough,” she continues. “Let’s go. Let’s go now… Let’s go back to our families now!”
Netanyahu condemned the video as “brutal psychological propaganda by Hamas-ISIS.”
“We embrace the families and do everything to return all captives and missing people to their families,” he said.
According to Israeli media, Tropanov, his mother, son and girlfriend were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His wife was one of those who died on October 7.
Aloni was also removed from Nir Oz along with his sister, brother-in-law, daughter, and twin nieces. Kirsht and his wife were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nirim.
In a separate statement on Monday, Netanyahu addressed them directly, writing: “To Daniel Aloni, Rimon Kirsht and Yelena Trupanob, kidnapped by Hamas who committed war crimes. I hug you. We pray for you and the other prisoners.”
“We are making every effort to ensure that all missing and captives return home.”
Contrary to recent images, a prisoner statement made by Hamas early in the conflict showed French-Israeli citizen Mia Schem being treated for a wound to her arm.
Unlike the ladies who were presumably forced by Hamas to shout at Netanyahu on Monday, Schem briefly mentioned the attention he was receiving in Gaza and also pleaded for his safe return.
Israel Statement
Accusing Netanyahu of failing to protect Israeli citizens and returning them to their homes during the deadly Hamas attack, Netanyahu called for an agreement to release Palestinian detainees in exchange for them.
“You were supposed to release us all. You promised to release us all. But instead we bear your political, security, military and diplomatic failure,” he said.
In his statement, Netanyahu reiterated his promise to make every effort to bring the hostages home.
“As someone who was kidnapped by Hamas, which committed war crimes, I embrace you. Our hearts are with you and the other captives. We are doing our best to ensure that all captives and missing people return home,” he said.
The women’s families were going to hold a press conference at 19:00. (1700 GMT).
The short video was the second hostage message released by Hamas, following the clip of 21-year-old French-Israeli woman Mia Schem, released on October 17.
At least 239 people, both Israelis and foreigners, were captured by Hamas gunmen during the attack, which killed at least 1,400 people, according to Israeli officials.
The presence of hostages in Gaza has complicated a ground operation that Israeli forces launched into the region last week following intense airstrikes that Palestinian officials say have killed more than 8,000 people.
Four hostages have been released so far, but efforts to free more hostages through back-channel efforts coordinated by Qatar appear to have been put on hold following the start of the ground operation.
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