In a gripping new video released on Wednesday by Hamas's armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, Israeli hostage Omri Miran issued a direct plea for an immediate prisoner exchange. Abducted from Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7, 2023, Miran has spent a year and a half in the Gaza Strip.
"I passed my second birthday here and couldn't celebrate. There is no joy, only fear," Miran says, his voice captured under unclear conditions. Turning 48 in captivity, he warns that hostages live under constant threat of bombardment: "Without a deal, we may return in coffins."
Targeting both the Israeli public and authorities, Miran urges mass protests outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence. He accuses military action of endangering lives: "Do not believe Netanyahu. Only a prisoner exchange will bring us home."
The hostage also appeals to former captives to amplify calls for negotiation and highlights worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza: closed crossings, scarce food supplies, and dwindling aid.
Back home, Miran's family denounced his continued captivity on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, calling it a disgrace as commemorations began.
According to Israeli authorities, 59 hostages remain in Gaza, including 58 of the 251 abducted during the October assault. The Israel Defense Forces estimate at least 35 are believed dead.
After a break in the ceasefire on March 18, when 33 hostages were released in exchange for around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners, talks on a new truce have stalled. A Hamas delegation is now in Cairo for renewed negotiations with Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
The ongoing Gaza campaign has taken a heavy toll. On Wednesday alone, air strikes killed at least 25 people—including 11 inside Yaffa School, a shelter for displaced families. "The bombing sparked a massive blaze, and several charred bodies have since been recovered," reported Gaza's civil defense spokesman, Mahmud Bassal.
Meanwhile, Germany, France and Britain urged Israel to restart unimpeded humanitarian aid, warning of "an acute risk of starvation, epidemic disease and death." Their joint call emphasizes the urgent need for relief to reach all civilians in Gaza.
As Miran's message echoes online, the urgency of a prisoner swap highlights the human stakes at the heart of this conflict. Readers worldwide are asking: how can negotiations advance before more lives are lost?
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
