Hamas releases propaganda video of Israeli hostage Alon Ohel

In a statement, the Ohel family said, “We demand that as a precondition for any negotiations or additional assistance to Hamas, eye specialists must examine Alon and provide him with treatment.”

By JNS Staff and World Israel News

The Hamas terrorist group on Monday published a propaganda video of Israeli hostage Alon Ohel, an hour before the start of Rosh Hashanah in the Jewish state.

On Wednesday night, Alon Ohel’s family agreed to release a single still photo from the video.

“Our family is shaken and in pain following the release of Alon’s video by Hamas. It’s evident that Alon is losing vision in his right eye, and he appears thin and distressed,” said the captive’s parents, Idit and Kobi, in a statement issued by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum.

“We demand that as a precondition for any negotiations or additional assistance to Hamas, eye specialists must examine Alon and provide him with treatment,” it continued.

On Sept. 5, marking the 700th day of captivity for hostages in Gaza, Hamas released a propaganda video showing Alon Ohel and Guy Gilboa-Dalal being driven in Gaza City. At the time, Ohel’s family allowed the release of a still image of him from the video.

A still of Alon Ohel taken from the video released by Hamas and authorized for publication by his family. Credit: Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
Details about Ohel’s condition first emerged from former Hamas captives Eli Sharabi, Or Levy and Eliya Cohen, who were held with him and were among 25 hostages and eight deceased released during the first phase of a Jan. 19 ceasefire. They reported that Ohel, from Lavon in the Upper Galilee, had been injured by shrapnel and blinded in his right eye.

In June, Idit Ohel told JNS, “We want to save our son, we want him to come home, and we are thinking of ways to make that happen. We are very scared about his situation in Gaza; we are scared for his life.”