In the wake of reports regarding renewed attempts to negotiate a prisoner exchange deal, Hamas released a propaganda video Monday night featuring three of the captives. One of them is Yoram Metzger, and his son, Guy, expressed his relief to see his father was still among the living.
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"I was surprised, like everyone else. I was happy to see a sign of life from my father. From what I can see from the picture and the short clip I saw, they are not in their best condition. After all, it's 74 days in captivity, inside a tunnel. Without light, without food. Maybe too little food. My father has lost a lot of weight. He looks tired, and even Haim Peri, who is usually a cheerful person, looks very subdued, weak. Amiram [Cooper] also seems to me to be far from his best," Metzger told Ynet.
Metzger, whose mother Tami was released from Gaza late last month as part of a truce between Israel and Hamas, expressed concerns about the impact of prolonged captivity on the health of hostages.
"Her health condition does not allow her to get too excited. They were together throughout the period until the moment she was released. She already knew he had lost a lot of weight, and that they are all tired. They lie on mattresses all day. They eat small portions of rice, once or twice a day. One bottle of water. They are physically weakening every passing day. I hope that none of them falls ill, God forbid, and then they won't be able to hold on. I really hope that the nutrition issue does not worsen his condition," he said.
"There used to be a nurse named Nili Margalit from Kibbutz Nir Oz who tried her best to take care of all these people, but she was also released the day after my mother and today we do not know who is taking care of them and how."
What would you like to say to decision-makers?
"My plea is for the right decisions to be made swiftly. There are 130 people, kidnapped by Hamas and left in limbo. For them, the events of October 7 are still a present reality. They are trapped in that chaotic day, every day. If the government is unwilling to return the remains of the deceased, then the living captives should be released as soon as possible. It's time for the prime minister to make a decision, be transparent with the public and expedite the release of all captives, bringing them home without delay."
Kfir Bibas is now 11 months old
Other Israelis still held hostage in Gaza include members of the Bibas family, among them is Kfir, a baby of just 11 months who has already captured the heart of an entire nation waiting for his return. However, concerns linger after Hamas insisted little Kfir, along with his brother Ariel, 4, and mother Shiri, was among the casualties of an Israeli air strike, though that has yet to be confirmed.
Jimmy Miller, Shiri's cousin, told Ynet "We're still in the dark, waiting for answers. Naturally, we're hoping for positive news that they are indeed alive, and that there was either a mistake in the report or a lack of information. There's a strong glimmer of hope that they are alive, possibly kept in a concealed space under decent conditions, and receiving care. Our deepest wish is to have them back with us, alive.
"It's without a doubt that we're hopeful for a negotiation, and we sincerely wish for them to be part of this negotiation in some form. According to the reports we're seeing, they don't seem to be a part of the negotiation. We notice only elders or women are included. We haven't seen them mentioned, and we're hopeful that they'll consider them and ask for their return.
"We're hoping that time won't work against us. An agreement needs to be reached. If at the moment they're unsure of their whereabouts, as they claim, and we're hoping they're being truthful, then we would prefer that negotiations takes place and return whoever's possible."
Miller addressed the crowdfunding campaign they initiated to sustain their efforts. "Our funds are depleted, and we're beginning to encounter severe financial strain. We haven't been able to work since the tragic event, and our sole focus is on securing the return of the captives," he said.
First published: 11:24, 12.20.23