2025-01-05 03:30:00
Hamas has released a video of a 19-year-old Israeli soldier held captive by the Palestinian group for more than a year following their attacks on the Jewish nation on October 7, 2023.
Liri Albag, a surveillance soldier with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), was stationed at the Nahal Oz military base near the Gaza border when thousands of Hamas terrorists stormed Israel from the Palestinian enclave. She and six others were abducted by the group while 15 soldiers died in the attacks, The Times of Israel reported.
In an undated three-and-a-half-minute-long video, Albag said she had been held for over 450 days and claimed that the Israeli government have forgotten her and other hostages. “I am only 19 years old. I have my entire life in front of me, but now my entire life has been put on pause,” she said in Hebrew in the video.
From the six surveillance soldiers held captive by Hamas, one was later rescued while another was found murdered in captivity. Albag and four others are the surviving hostages.
Albag’s family released a video statement, saying that the clip had “torn our heart to pieces”. “This is not the daughter and sister we know. Her severe psychological distress is evident,” the family said.
They appealed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure her safe release, adding that “it was time to take decisions as if it were your own children there”.
