Hamas releases new video of hostage in Gaza tunnel
Hamas militants released a new video on Monday showing an Israeli soldier held captive in a Gaza tunnel, according to the Associated Press.
The video shows the soldier, whose identity was not disclosed, wearing a yellow jacket and being questioned by Hamas officials. He appears to be in good health and is shown standing in a dark, underground tunnel.
This is the first video of the soldier to be released since his capture on August 1, when he and another Israeli soldier, Oron Shaul, infiltrated the Gaza Strip from Israel.
Shaul’s remains were later confirmed to have been buried in the Gaza Strip, and his family has been notified. The status of the other Israeli soldier remains unclear.
Hamas has repeatedly demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails in exchange for the release of the captive soldier. The group has also called for an end to Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Israel has refused to negotiate with Hamas over the release of the soldier, and has instead called for his immediate return. The country’s military has launched several airstrikes against Gaza targets in recent days in response to the capture.
The video was released as the international community continued to call for the release of the captive soldier and an end to the violence in Gaza.
In a statement, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, condemned the capture and demanded the soldier’s immediate release. “The UN is deeply concerned about the capture of the Israeli soldier and calls for his immediate release,” he said.
The European Union also issued a statement calling for the release of the soldier and urging an end to the violence in Gaza. “We condemn the capture of the Israeli soldier and demand his immediate release,” the statement said. “We also call on all parties to work towards a lasting ceasefire and an end to the violence in Gaza.”