Hamas releases new video of Israeli hostage, says ending Gaza war key to any truce deal

Gaza, Dec 8: The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, released a new video showing an Israeli hostage alive and held in Gaza, in which he called for a prisoner exchange deal.

"I was held captive by Hamas for over 420 days ... To Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, I heard about your new plan to bring us home, offering 5 million dollars to anyone who ensured our safe return and exit from Gaza," said the hostage identified as Matan Zangauker.

"The (Israeli) government neglected us and continued to do so every day. I hoped you would do everything you could to change the situation and bring me and the other prisoners back alive, in good health, and safely," Zangauker said.

His mother, Einav Zangauker, is one of the prominent activists in the struggle for the release of the hostages, including pressuring the Israeli government to advance a deal with Hamas, Xinhua news agency reported.

Einav Zangauker spoke at a demonstration in Tel Aviv after the video was released and addressed Netanyahu, "The fact that Matan is alive today does not mean that he will survive the winter or the continued military pressure. The only way to return Matan and everyone is through a deal, even at the cost of ending the war."

Also on Saturday, Hamas said in a statement that ending the war and Israeli "aggression" is the core of any agreement in Gaza.

The statement was issued following a meeting in Doha between Mohammad Darwish, chairman of Hamas's Shura Council, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Darwish said Hamas is open to mediator proposals, provided they prioritise the interests of the Palestinian people and work to ease their suffering, and urged increasing support for Gaza's residents and countering Israel's "malicious plans" of killings, blockade, and starvation in the enclave.

Darwish also highlighted the outcomes of recent meetings in Cairo between Hamas and Fatah delegations held under Egyptian sponsorship. On Thursday, Hamas announced its approval of the Egyptian proposal to form a joint committee with Fatah to run the post-war Gaza Strip.

According to the Saturday statement by Hamas, Araghchi reaffirmed Iran's commitment to the Palestinian cause and emphasised efforts to strengthen the Palestinian people's resilience through all possible means and platforms.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 44,664, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Saturday.