Islamic Jihad Group in Gaza Shows New Hostage Video, Israel Calls It ‘Psychological Terrorism’ – News18

Palestinian militant outfit Islamic Jihad in Gaza released a video on Thursday showing an elderly woman and a young boy who were among around 240 hostages seized by gunmen who attacked Israel on October 7.

In the video making rounds of the internet, the group said it was prepared to release the two — a woman in her 70s and a 13-year-old boy — for humanitarian and medical reasons once appropriate conditions were met. “We are ready to release them on humanitarian grounds when the security conditions on the ground are met,” said in the video Abu Hamza, spokesman for the group’s military wing, according to AFP.

Gaza-based Palestinian militants seized the hostages during an unprecedented assault on Israel that killed some 1,400 Israelis. The vast majority of captives are believed to be in the hands of Hamas, but Islamic Jihad, a smaller militant group in Gaza, has said previously it held at least 30 captives.

‘Psychological terrorism’

The video was slammed as “psychological terrorism” by Israeli military spokesperson Richard Hecht, in remarks to journalists moments after the footage was published. Four hostages have been freed so far and talks were underway to secure the release of others, in exchange for a pause in the fighting and more aid reaching Gaza.

In the video, the elderly woman said she missed her children. “I hope I will manage to see you next week. We are happy and healthy and we want everyone to be happy,” she said, seated in a wheelchair. The video is the third film of hostages to be released by Gaza militants, who have so far freed four captives – the last couple a pair of 85-year-old women who returned to Israel on Oct. 23.

Spy Chiefs Meet

This video came the same day as Mossad chief David Barnea and CIA Director William Burns were in Qatar Thursday to discuss efforts to win the release of hostages in Gaza with the Qatari prime minister. Barnea and Burns met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, the official told The Associated Press.

The three sat down together a day after Qatari officials met with Hamas political leaders to discuss a potential deal, according to a Reuters report, citing a “source briefed on the meeting.” Another report confirmed the existence of such negotiations, saying that “talks have been progressing well towards a deal in the past few days.”

(With agency inputs)