Hamas and PIJ release hostage videos to pressure Israeli government to end Gaza War

Both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) recently released video footage featuring Israeli hostages pleading for the citizens of Israel to pressure their government into agreeing to a ceasefire.

A video released by PIJ on Thursday with Israeli hostage Alexander Trupanov was a follow-up to a previous video, in which he promised to give the “whole truth” about the hostage situation in Gaza. 

In the second video, Trupanov confirmed he is healthy and being treated well by his PIJ captors. He accused the Israeli military of trying to kill him and claimed the al-Quds Brigade kept him safe. 

“First I want to say that I am healthy and well,” Troupanov stated, “that’s in spite of the fact that the IDF and the IAF tried to kill me several times. Thanks to God, I can speak with you today, and thanks to the workers of al-Quds who watched over me.” 

Trupanov, who appeared to be reading from a rehearsed script, then addresses those involved in the government protests, asking them to take to the streets in protest and demand the immediate release of the hostages. 

Trupanov makes several harsh accusations in the video, including the statement that the Israeli government prefers to bring home dead hostages rather than live ones, because “the price is cheaper.” 

As with the previous video, Israeli media declined to publish the videos due to the obvious psychological warfare and propaganda nature. 

The following day, on Friday, Hamas released a video featuring the voice of Israeli hostage Noa Argamani, where she can be heard saying, “I am imprisoned with Al-Qassam Brigades. I have been in captivity for more than 237 days and do not know till when.” 

Argamani's family approved the release of the video. 

As in Trupanov's video, Argamani accused members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of not doing enough to secure the release of the hostages and specifically mentioned members of Israel's War Cabinet: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant and Benny Gantz. 

“Have you become government partners with Netanyahu, Gallant and Gantz?” Argamani asks. “Will my fate together with my colleagues be like Ron Arad’s fate?” 

“Let thousands of women and men come out and block the streets of Tel Aviv,” she says, in reference to the ongoing protests. “Do not put our fate in the hands of Netanyahu and the war council.” 

The video featuring Argamani's plea was the third hostage video released last week, as both PIJ and Hamas are allegedly attempting to increase internal pressure on the Israeli government to end the war. 

While the videos are clearly intended to influence the Israeli public, and designed to stir up a reaction against the coalition government in favor of continuing the war, it is not clear how effective of a method it is.

In January, Argamani appeared in a video alongside fellow hostages Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itai Svirsky, 38. Both of them were later reported to have been killed. 

Ron Arad was an Israeli Air Force weapon systems officer who was captured by the Lebanese Amal resistance group. Israel attempted to negotiate for Arad’s release several times between 1986 and 1988, however, the attempts failed. Based on multiple intelligence operations to discover his whereabouts, Arad is believed to have died sometime between late 1996 and early 1997.