Hamas Releases Video Showing Israeli-American Hostage

By Yoni Weiss

A propaganda video released by the Hamas terror group on Wednesday showed signs of life from Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Israeli-American hostage, igniting an angry protest near Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s residence, demanding action to secure the hostages’ release.

In the nearly three-minute video, Goldberg-Polin, visibly missing a hand, vehemently urges the Israeli government to secure the release of hostages from Gaza or resign.

Although the video lacked a specific date, Goldberg-Polin indicates he has been held captive for “nearly 200 days” and makes reference to a recent “festival,” suggesting it was filmed ahead of Pesach.

A senior US official said that the White House received the video on Monday and has been in contact with the family regarding its contents. The FBI and Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell are actively assessing the video, according to the official.

Goldberg-Polin was abducted on Oct. 7 from Re’im during an incursion by thousands of Hamas-led terrorists into Israel, resulting in the abduction of 253 hostages into the Gaza Strip.

Of those hostages, it is believed that 129 remain in Gaza, with not all of them still alive. During a weeklong truce in late November, 105 civilians were released, with four hostages freed prior to that. Three hostages have been rescued alive by troops, while the bodies of 12 hostages have been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the IDF.

The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 34 hostages still held by Hamas, citing new intelligence and findings from operations in Gaza.

Video evidence from the Hamas incursion depicts part of Goldberg-Polin’s arm being blown off as grenades were lobbed into a shelter where he and others sought refuge.

Hamas has previously released similar videos of hostages, described by Israel as reprehensible psychological warfare. Most Israeli media outlets refrain from directly disseminating such clips.

Published on Hamas’s official social media account, the footage depicts Goldberg-Polin, likely speaking under duress, criticizing Netanyahu’s management of the crisis and the military’s inability to secure the hostages’ return.

In an apparent reference to Pesach, Goldberg-Polin implores government officials, “while you sit and have holiday meals with your families, think of us, the hostages,” urging them to “bring us home now.”

He describes the hostages’ dire conditions, stating they have been living “under the ground without water, without food, without sun, without the medical care that I have needed so much for a long, long time.”

Addressing his family, Goldberg-Polin expresses appreciation for their efforts and urges them to persevere until he and all the hostages are safely returned.