'Do you want us dead?': Israeli hostages in Gaza question Netanyahu govt

Israeli hostages held in Gaza are fearing for their lives due to Israeli airstrikes on the enclave, questioning the Netanyahu government: "Do you want us dead?"

The military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, Al Quds Brigades, on Wednesday, aired a video of two Israeli hostages held in Gaza warning that their lives are in danger due to Israeli air strikes.

In the video, a hostage, Jadi Moses, addressed his friends, saying that "pressure must be intensified to make the Israeli government understand what we want."

"We are in an unbearable situation. It is likely that we will die because there is no guarantee that the army will not target us," he added, addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials.

"We (hostages) feel that the government does not want us to return alive," he said.

Another hostage, Elad Katzir, said: "We are in danger because of the army's missiles that threaten our lives. We miss our homes and we want to return alive."

Katzir called on Netanyahu and all decision-makers in Israel to "do whatever is necessary, stop the strikes and achieve a prisoner exchange deal."

Air and land bombardment

During a week-long humanitarian pause in Gaza last month, Hamas released 81 Israelis, 23 Thai nationals, and a Philippines national, in exchange for 240 Palestinians, including 71 women and 169 children.

Israel has bombarded Gaza from the air and land, imposed a total blockade and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7.

At least 19,667 Palestinians have since been killed and 52,586 injured in the Israeli onslaught, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack on October 7 stands at 1,200, while over 130 hostages are still held by the Palestinian group in Gaza, according to official figures.