Hamas releases video of Israeli-British hostage held in Gaza

Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, on Saturday released a video of a man held hostage in Gaza by Palestinian militants and seen alive in the footage.

The captive, identified by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group as Nadav Popplewell, is seen speaking in the 11-second clip, which is superimposed with text in Arabic and Hebrew that reads: “Time is running out. Your government is lying.”

In the video the hostage, who is also a British national, has a black eye and is seen speaking under duress.

He showed no other visible signs of injuries.

Wearing a white T-shirt, he introduces himself as 51-year-old Popplewell, from kibbutz Nirim in southern Israel.

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Popplewell was kidnapped from his home during Hamas’s 7 October attack along with his mother, Hanna Peri, who was released during a one-week truce in November – the only pause so far in more than seven months of war.

Popplewell’s older brother was killed in the attack.

Footage of hostages in Gaza

The video posted on Saturday on the Telegram channel of Hamas’s armed wing was the third time in less than a month that the group releases footage of captives held in Gaza.

On 27 April Hamas released a video showing two hostages alive – Keith Siegel and Omri Miran.

Three days earlier it broadcast another video showing hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin alive.

The videos come amid growing domestic pressure on the Israeli government to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

“Every sign of life received from the hostages held by Hamas is another cry of distress to the Israeli government and its leaders,” the families’ group said in its statement on Saturday.

“We don’t have a moment to spare! You must strive to implement a deal that will bring them all back today.”

Israeli government under pressure

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government are under immense pressure to strike a deal with Hamas, but the two warring sides have so far failed despite repeated rounds of indirect negotiations.

Some 250 people were abducted to the Gaza Strip on 7 October when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel.

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Israeli officials say 128 of them are still held captive in the Palestinian territory, including 36 who are dead.

The attack resulted in the deaths of more than 1 170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

In Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza, at least 34 971 people have been killed so far, most of them women and children, according the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.

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