(NewsNation) — The Israel Defense Forces released a video showing Hamas bringing hostages to Al Shifa Hospital during their invasion on Oct. 7. The footage depicts what the IDF claims are two civilians Hamas abducted from Israeli territory.
The video circulated online, purportedly shows Al Shifa Hospital amid the chaos of the Oct. 7 attacks, allegedly with hostages surrounded by armed Hamas militants. According to the IDF, this visual evidence supports their assertion that Hamas utilized the hospital as a base during the attack.
One of the hostages is seen being carried on a hospital bed, visibly injured, while the other is walking.
The IDF identified the hostages as a Nepalese civilian and a Thai civilian.
The release of this video has intensified the ongoing hostage negotiations between the US-led coalition and Hamas.
An estimated 240 hostages remain in Hamas custody.
Israel, the United States and Hamas are close to an agreement to free dozens of women and children held hostage in Gaza, in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting, the Washington Post reported Saturday, citing people familiar with the deal.
More than 11,100 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer disclosed that significant progress has been made in recent days, narrowing down disagreements and reaching an understanding on certain issues.
“Some of the issues where there was disagreement have now been either narrowed or an understanding has been reached. But it is not complete,” Finer said.
While Finer expressed optimism, he cautioned a comprehensive deal has not been finalized.
Michael Herzog, Israeli ambassador to the U.S., says serious efforts are underway, emphasizing the sensitivity of the negotiations and the need for confidentiality.
“I don’t want to go into the details of these talks. They’re obviously very sensitive. The less we go into the details, the better the chances of such a deal, but they are very serious efforts,” Herzog said.
Finer raised concerns over a possible Israeli operation in southern Gaza. With thousands of civilians having fled the area following evacuation orders, Finer stressed that military operations should not proceed until all civilians are accounted for in the planning.
When pressed about the potential number of hostages to be released, Finer indicated that it could be “considerably more than 12,” and in another interview, he mentioned “dozens.” However, he refrained from commenting on whether they include women or children.