Hamas distributes video of two hostages

The two men have been held since the Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7.

Hamas distributed a new video on Saturday showing two Israeli hostages. They have been held since the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7. About 1,200 people were killed and Hamas took about 250 people hostage, of whom 130 are still in Gaza.

The two men in the undated video have been identified as Israeli Omri Miran and Keith Siegel, who is also a US citizen. They turn to their families and ask to be released.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz emphasized on Saturday that the release of the hostages remains a top priority, the Reuters news agency reported.

Katz also said that an Israeli military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, would be suspended if a new deal can be reached with Hamas to release hostages.

According to Israeli military sources, 5,000 to 8,000 Hamas fighters are hiding in Rafah, according to the Bloomberg news agency, but there are also almost a million refugees in the city.

Hamas indicated on Saturday that it was “studying” a new Israeli ceasefire proposal, without putting a timeline on a response.

Egypt had already sent a delegation to Israel to try to give new impetus to negotiations, which have stalled in recent weeks, the British public broadcaster BBC said on Saturday.