A video has provided evidence that Alon Ohel is still alive, released as Israeli forces press further into Gaza City.
The armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Hamas has distributed a video featuring hostage Alon Ohel, one of several dozen captives still detained in Gaza since October 2023. Israel continues its military campaign in the enclave, following a recent targeting of Hamas negotiators in Qatar.
In the footage, released Monday by the Al-Qassam Brigades, Ohel, 24, is seen criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while a televised address by the Israeli leader plays alongside him. He also appeals to his family and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to help pressure the Israeli government.
Earlier this month, Ohel, who holds Serbian and German citizenship, appeared in another Hamas video, which primarily showcased fellow hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal. That particular video was published on the 700th day of the conflict.
Palestinian militants abducted more than 250 individuals during the October 7, 2023 incursion into southern Israel. Forty-eight of them are believed to remain in Gaza, though the Israeli military indicates that as many as half may already be deceased.
Prisoner Alon Ohel
Due to Netanyahu’s stubborness, he has been held captive in Gaza City for more than 700 days— Free Palestine Together For Palestine🇺🇦🇵🇸 (@InaNobumaru)
Israel responded to the raid, which also killed over 1,200 people, with an extensive military campaign aimed at destroying Hamas. Health authorities in Gaza report that the death toll in the enclave has surpassed 65,300, though some observers suggest it could be significantly higher given that many bodies are likely buried under rubble from Israeli strikes.
Prior to this month, Israeli air forces struck a location in Doha, Qatar, where senior Hamas political leaders were reportedly meeting to discuss a US-backed ceasefire proposal.
The Israeli military is now pushing for full control of Gaza City, which it has threatened to demolish unless Hamas surrenders. Critics contend that West Jerusalem’s strategy amounts to an effort to render the Palestinian enclave uninhabitable and to ethnically cleanse its population.