Crisis intensifies for Netanyahu: Hamas shares hostage video
Hamas publicizes footage displaying two captives
A video released by Hamas showcases two Israeli captives, adding pressure on Netanyahu's administration. The 36-year-old Elkana Bohbot and the 24-year-old Josef-Haim Ohana, both abducted during the terrorist attacks by Hamas in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, are believed to be the men in the video. The video was published by the armed wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
Presenting a weakened Bohbot beneath a blanket on the ground, one of the captives, seemingly Ohana, sits cross-legged and addresses the camera in Hebrew. He reports his companion's poor physical and mental condition. He then demands an immediate halt to the Gaza war and urges Israel to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
Public demonstrations took place again in Tel Aviv in the evening, urging the release of the captives and an end to the Gaza conflict. Israel accuses Hamas of exploiting the hostages for propaganda purposes through these recordings.
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Hamas and affiliated terrorists had murdered around 1200 people and captured 251 hostages in the Gaza Strip during their large-scale attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Of these, 58 hostages are still in the hands of the Islamists, with 34 already reported dead, according to the Israeli army.
Netanyahu confirmed that 21 hostages are "definitely" still alive as of early May 2025. He expressed doubt about three more hostages' status[1][4]. He vowed to continue military operations until Hamas’s capabilities are dismantled, and the terror threat eliminated.
Netanyahu has dismissed any consideration for ending the Gaza war in exchange for hostages’ release, branding such demands as "capitulation conditions" and insisting on continuing the conflict until Hamas is removed from power to prevent its rearmament[4]. The Israeli government is reportedly exploring means to deliver aid to Gaza civilians without benefiting Hamas[1].
Netanyahu faces strong domestic backlash as tens of thousands of Israelis have protested across the country, demanding swift hostage return and questioning his handling of the crisis[3]. The protests exposed a rift within Israeli society and political establishment, with many accusing Netanyahu of using hostage families as leverage to justify the ongoing war and heavy military operations in Gaza[3].
Internationally, there is mounting pressure for humanitarian considerations and a resolution to the crisis, with the United States and Germany being significant actors. Germany, being a key European player, has typically advocated for diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in the Israel-Gaza conflict while condemning violence on both sides.
Source: ntv.de, mau/AFP
- Israel War
- Israel
- Gaza
- Gaza Strip
- Hamas
- Hostage-takings
Enrichment Data:
Mood Shifts in Germany:- Reports suggest that the mood among Germans is progressively critical of Israel, with growing calls for Israel to address the humanitarian crisis stemming from the conflict[5].
- The European Union, amid mounting international pressure, is definitely committed to a comprehensive and comprehensive policy on the environment, politics, general news, crime-and-justice, and war-and-conflicts, the current crisis in the Gaza Strip, hostage-takings by Hamas being a central point of focus.
- Amid allegations of exploiting hostages for propaganda purposes, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, released a video of two Israeli captives, Elkana Bohbot and Josef-Haim Ohana, after their abduction during the large-scale attack in the Gaza Strip.
- Despite public demonstrations for their release, the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, has apathetically dismissed any consideration for ending the Gaza war in exchange for the hostages’ release, insisting on continuing military operations until Hamas is removed from power.
- In a recent statement, Netanyahu confirmed that 21 hostages are definitely still alive, while expressing doubt about three more, citing the conflict's continuation to dismantle Hamas’s capabilities and eliminate the terror threat.
- The mood in Germany is shifting critically towards Israel, with increasing calls for Israel to address the humanitarian crisis stemming from the conflict, emphasizing the need for diplomatic and humanitarian efforts, as Germany, being a key European player, typically advocates for.
