Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad on Thursday released a video it claimed showed two hostages, a woman in her 70s and a 13-year-old boy, held in Gaza.
“We are ready to release them on humanitarian grounds when the security conditions on the ground are met,” said in the video Abu Hamza, spokesman for the group’s military wing.
Around 240 people were abducted on October 7 during attacks in southern Israel by Hamas militants from Gaza, according to Israeli officials.
The video was slammed as “psychological terrorism” by Israeli military spokesman Richard Hecht, in remarks to journalists moments after the footage was published.
Four hostages have been freed so far and talks were underway to secure the release of others, in exchange for a pause in the fighting and more aid reaching Gaza.
Hamas militants on October 7 killed around 1,400 people, the majority civilians, according to Israeli officials.
More than 10,800 people have been killed as Israel has relentlessly pounded Gaza, also mostly civilians, the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory says.
