Israel Gaza: Hamas releases video showing three elderly Israeli hostages

From left to right: Amiram Cooper, Yoram Metzger and Chaim Peri, who are all currently being held hostage in Gaza

The armed wing of Hamas, the al-Qassam Brigades, has released a video of three elderly Israeli men being held hostage in the Gaza Strip.

The video shows Chaim Peri, 79, Yoram Metzger, 80, and Amiram Cooper, 85.

Mr Peri can be seen addressing the camera and calling for their release.

About 120 hostages are believed to still be in captivity in Gaza after a deadly Hamas attack on 7 October. Israel's military described the footage as a "criminal terror video".

"It testifies to Hamas' cruelty towards innocent, very elderly civilians who are in need of medical care," said Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

"The world must act in order to deliver medical aid and check on the state of the hostages. We are morally obliged to make every and all efforts in order to bring the hostages back home," the spokesman added.

The footage was released on the Telegram messaging app.

The hostages taken in October are believed to be held by Hamas and allied Palestinian groups.

Prisoners of war and hostages are protected under international humanitarian law and so the BBC does not broadcast the full details of material which may have been filmed under duress.

A spokesperson for Kibbutz Nir Oz, where the men were abducted from, urged US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who is currently visiting Israel, to secure their release.

"We appreciate any sign of life from the hostages, but time is running out," the spokesperson said.

"The immediate release of all those abducted, through any potential negotiation avenue, is urgently required.

"Each passing day exacerbates their situation. Recent events sadly illustrate that the hostages' situation is deteriorating with each passing day, particularly for older individuals."

An estimated 240 hostages were taken to Gaza during Hamas's 7 October attacks that killed about 1,200 in southern Israel.

Israel has launched a massive retaliatory operation it says is aimed at destroying Hamas. More than 18,000 people have been killed in Gaza since, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, with hundreds of thousands displaced.

• Stories of the hostages taken by Hamas from Israel

• Hostages shot by IDF used food to write 'SOS' sign

During a six-day ceasefire at the end of November, 105 hostages were released in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

On Friday, three Israeli hostages mistakenly killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza were shot dead while holding a white cloth, an Israeli military official said.

The hostages - Yotam Haim, 28, Samer Talalka, 22, and Alon Shamriz, 26 - were killed in the Shejaiya neighbourhood of Gaza City.

According to an Israeli military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the men emerged shirtless from a building, with one carrying a stick with a white cloth.

One of the soldiers, the official added, felt threatened, as the men were at a distance of tens of metres, declared them "terrorists" and opened fire. Two were immediately killed while the third, wounded, returned to the building.

A cry for help was heard in Hebrew and the battalion commander ordered the troops to cease fire. The wounded hostage later re-emerged, and was shot and killed, the official said.

It is not clear if the hostages had been abandoned by their captors or escaped.

An IDF official said the case was "against our rules of engagement" and an investigation was happening at the "highest level".

Families of the remaining hostages have urged the Israeli government to reach a new truce for at least some of the captives to be freed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has deflected the calls, insisting "military pressure is necessary both for the return of the hostages and for victory".

Speaking to reporters on Monday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby addressed rumours of a possible new hostage deal, and said talks were not at a point where an agreement was imminent.