Hamas has released new footage allegedly showing tattoos of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, marking another development in the ongoing hostage crisis that began October 7th.
The video, released Saturday evening, displays partial body shots focusing on distinctive tattoos that could identify specific hostages, though no faces are shown. Families of the hostages have reportedly identified their loved ones from the footage but requested that media outlets do not share their identities at this point.
In the propaganda video, Hamas claims one hostage's fate is "unknown" while attempting to blame Israeli military operations for endangering captives' lives.
This release follows last week's proof-of-life video featuring Matan Zangauker, who was kidnapped with his girlfriend Ilana Gritzewsky from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7th attacks. In that approved footage, Zangauker appeared under evident duress, stating: "The isolation is killing us and the darkness is frightening. We die 1,000 times every day."
He also delivered what appeared to be a coerced message criticizing the Israeli government's response to the hostage situation, pleading: "Don't forget us."
The IDF has not officially commented on the latest video's authenticity.
