Hamas published on Saturday a video of the hostages Keith Siegel (64) and Omri Miran (47).
The two hostages say the video was filmed two days ago. They also talk about not being able to celebrate Passover this year.
They also say that they saw the demonstrations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and called on the demonstrators to continue the protest.
Protestors in Tel Aviv called on the government to find alternative solutions, insisting that military pressure would not lead to the release of the hostages. "This concept has failed," demonstrators chanted in Tel Aviv on Saturday after the video's release.
Keith was abducted from his home in Kfar Aza together with his partner Aviva, who was released during the ceasefire in November.
Omri was abducted from his home in Nahal Oz in front of his family. His wife, Lishay Lavi, managed to tell him before he was abducted, "I love you, we are waiting for you, don't be a hero."
As soon as he was taken by the terrorists, his two-year-old daughter Roni tried to run after him and shouted, "I want my dad!"
Danny Miran, Omri's father, told KAN, "I am moved to tears; these are tears of happiness. I saw his beard. We promised that we would shave the beard together when he returned. I am crying all over. I am moved and crying to recognize my son. I haven't seen the video, just a picture of it. I hope they send it to me soon. This is what kills me - this is how a country behaves?"
His father added, "I am not interested, Rafah if they bring all the hostages home immediately, and it doesn't matter how they do it."
Danny also told N12 "He looks just as I thought he would: with a beard. He must not have brushed his teeth since the catastrophe. It is immensely painful. Physically, he looks excellent; I just hope that, mentally, he is still in good condition."
His brother, Nadav, told Walla, "It's exciting to see this picture. I'm glad he's alive, and I hope to see him home as soon as possible. He seems fine to me. Going out to fight Rafah will bring them faster. Less talk, more action."
The video is the second to be released during Passover. Shortly before the holiday began, a video showing hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin was released.
In the video, Hersh discusses how he was captured and the events after his capture.
His parents both approved the video's publication. His mother, Rachel, has been a central figure in the campaign to release the hostages and was named one of Time's 100 most important people of 2023.
Both Hersh and Keith are American citizens.
Biden renewed his push to release all the hostages on Saturday, saying, "I will not rest until every hostage, like Abigail, ripped from their families and held by Hamas, is back in the arms of their loved ones. They have my word."
Abigail Idan (four) was one of the hostages released during the November ceasefire; she and her two siblings (six and nine) survived the massacre that killed their parents by hiding in a neighbor's home and next to their mother's body.
Hersh, Keith, and Abigail are all American citizens.
The Jerusalem Post will not publish these videos as they are part of Hamas's psychological warfare.
Tzvi Joffre contributed to this report.
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Rocket sirens later sounded in Menara, Margaliot, and in Kiryat Shmona.
Go to the full article >>IDF forces from Unit 869 identified a Hezbollah terrorist entering the organization's military structure in the Kila village on Friday in southern Lebanon. IAF fighter jets attacked the building, hitting another Hezbollah operative inside, Maariv reported on Saturday.
Go to the full article >>The IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi briefed the ministers on IDF operations in Gaza during a security cabinet meeting, and updated that hundreds of terrorists surrendered and were arrested, Israeli media reported on Saturday.
Responding to Halevi’s comment regarding the number of arrests, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir asked, "Are you saying everyone is raising their arms? What should we do with so many prisoners? It's dangerous for soldiers."
Go to the full article >>Terrorists who were preparing to attack IDF forces were eliminated from the air by fighter jets, the IDF announced on Saturday.
During IDF operations, an IAF aircraft attacked a launch site on Friday, from which rockets were fired toward the city of Ashdod.
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The World Central Kitchen NGO paused aid to review its activity in the territory after the early April attack, halting the direct shipments into Gaza from Cyprus.
Go to the full article >>Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and several international officials will be in Riyadh this week for talks aimed at pushing for a peace agreement in Gaza to be held on the sidelines of a World Economic Forum meeting, the WEF's president said on Saturday.
"We do have the key players now in Riyadh and hopefully the discussions can lead into a process towards reconciliation and peace," Børge Brende said at a news conference in Riyadh, adding that Gaza's humanitarian crisis would be on the agenda.
Go to the full article >>Iran’s foreign minister said the crew of a seized Portuguese-flagged ship linked to Israel have been granted consular access and are expected to be freed, Iranian media reported on Saturday.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized the container vessel MSC Aries with a crew of 25 in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13, days after Tehran vowed to retaliate for a suspected Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus. Iran had said it could close the crucial shipping route.
Go to the full article >>Two Palestinians tried to break into the Salem checkpoint in the Jenin area on Saturday night and were shot to death by IDF soldiers, according to Israeli media.
Later that night, IDF forces raided several checkpoints throughout the West Bank to arrest those wanted for security questioning. Among the centers are Kfar Kadum, Azun, Hable, Surif, and Dura in the south of the Hebron mountain.
Early on Saturday, the IDF carried out airstrikes in the Khan Yunis and Rafah areas, Walla reported.
Palestinian media reported that there were wounded and those killed in the strikes. The Air Force also struck in the area of the Nuseirat refugee camp in the center of the Gaza Strip. Palestinian media also reported deaths there.
