Hamas launched a video Wednesday showing to point out considered one of its Israeli hostages delivering an handle in captivity. Within the video, a person identifies himself as Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin earlier than delivering an extended assertion clearly crafted by Hamas, which has lengthy been designated a terrorist group by the U.S. and Israel.
The video could give the younger man’s household hope, nonetheless, because the message he conveys features a reference to his 200 days in captivity — which suggests it was both filmed on or to mark April 24, precisely 200 days since Hamas launched its assault. CBS Information can’t confirm the date of filming or the contents of the video launched by Hamas’ armed Al-Qassam Brigades, however it was posted on the identical social media channel used frequently by the group to publish propaganda movies, together with others exhibiting hostages.
A U.S. official confirmed to CBS Information the White Home acquired the video on Monday, and mentioned the White Home has been in contact with the Goldberg-Polin household because it was acquired. The household additionally acquired a duplicate of the video immediately, the official mentioned.
The official famous that is the primary time Hamas has publicly launched a video of a U.S. citizen hostage.
A press release launched Wednesday by the Hostage Households Discussion board, which represents the households of these nonetheless held in Gaza, mentioned Goldberg-Polin’s mother and father wished the message he was delivering to get out, and the group didn’t query the video’s authenticity.
“Hersh’s cry is the collective cry of all of the hostages — their time is quickly working out. With every passing day, the concern of shedding extra harmless lives grows stronger. We can’t afford to waste any extra time; the hostages should be the highest precedence,” the group mentioned in its assertion.
There had been no clear indication from Hamas that Goldberg-Polin, now 24, was nonetheless alive. He was significantly injured when militants rampaged by means of the music competition he was attending close to the Gaza border throughout Hamas’ unprecedented Oct. 7 terrorist assault on Israel.”
Within the video, Goldberg-Polin reveals that he’s lacking his left hand, and there are some marks seen on his head and face, however he speaks clearly in Hebrew and seems in any other case skinny however wholesome. The video consists of English subtitles, which CBS Information has verified as correct.
The assertion he delivers, clearly beneath duress in Hamas captivity, features a litany of insults and admonishments for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to safe a deal for the remaining hostages’ launch.
There are believed to be about 130 individuals nonetheless held in Gaza, of the roughly 240 initially taken hostage by Hamas.
It isn’t clear how most of the remaining hostages are nonetheless alive, however Goldberg-Polin says within the videotaped assertion that Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have killed “about 70” of the captives. The U.S. official couldn’t verify that or different particulars of what was mentioned beneath duress within the video, together with when it was filmed. Hamas has beforehand issued false statements in regards to the hostages’ destiny, accusing Israel of killing individuals who have been later discovered alive.
“It is a an harmless younger man being held hostage by a terrorist group and he must be launched instantly with out situation and immediately,” White Home nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned at a briefing Wednesday afternoon. He mentioned FBI consultants are analyzing the video.
“The second that we bought the video that confirmed Hersh, we gave it to the FBI hostage fusion restoration cell,” Sullivan mentioned. “…I am not going to get forward of that evaluation to make any judgments about time, you already know, recency, and so forth. I’ll allow them to make these judgments after which when we’ve got one thing we are able to share publicly in mild of all of the sensitivities we’ll share it with you.”
The video was launched as Jews observe the Passover vacation, and the Israeli-American man’s mom Rachel Goldberg was quoted Tuesday by the French information company AFP as saying, “the entire symbolic issues we do on the seder will tackle a way more profound and deep which means this 12 months.”
Goldberg informed CBS’ “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan earlier this month that her household was dwelling by means of “a painful, staggeringly indescribable odyssey” as they waited for information of her son. They knew already that he’d misplaced a part of an arm within the Oct. 7 assault on the Supernova music competition, and needed to apply his personal tourniquet, based on witnesses.
A U.S. official confirmed to CBS Information on Wednesday that there are 5 U.S. nationals nonetheless unaccounted for and presumed to be dwelling hostages in Gaza, together with Goldberg-Polin. Three different Individuals who have been in Israel when Hamas launched its Oct. 7 assault — Itay Chen, Judith Weinstein and Gad Haggai — are presumed lifeless, however their our bodies haven’t but been recovered.
Within the video launched Wednesday, Goldberg-Polin says Netanyahu and his fellow Israeli leaders must be “ashamed” for carrying on with their mission in Gaza whereas he and his fellow captives are caught “in underground hell, with out water, meals or solar.”
Close to the top of the assertion, Goldberg-Polin addresses his family immediately, naming his mother and father and siblings and saying: “I like you. I do know you are doing all of your finest to get me residence as quickly as doable. I need you to remain robust for me
Goldberg-Polin’s mother and father are among the many family and family members of hostages who’ve introduced great strain on Israel’s leaders to barter a brand new cease-fire and hostage launch take care of Hamas.
“I do not know that the cupboard wanted to have a flame lit beneath them to get these hostages out,” his father Jonathan Polin informed CBS Information’ Chris Livesay in December. “But when they did, it occurs at this time.”
“If Hersh by some means, someplace can hear this — simply know we love you, keep robust, survive,” his mom pleaded within the interview with CBS Information, including: “We’re coming. The world is coming.”
Margaret Brennan contributed to this report.