‘We can’t breathe’: As hostage talks reach critical stage, Hamas releases proof-of-life video

JERUSALEM – Hamas released another proof-of-life hostage video Saturday, which featured 19-year-old Liri Albag, who was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz military base abutting the Gaza border, along with six of her colleagues on Oct. 7, 2023. Fifteen of her surveillance colleagues were murdered in the initial onslaught.

The three-and-a-half-minute video was another in part of the drip-drip psychological war that Hamas is engaged in; showing some signs of life of Israeli hostages who have been kept in Gaza captivity for well in excess of 400 days. Like the others, this video was not dated, although Albag stated she has been held for over 450 days, indicating that it was filmed recently. We are currently 457 days into the war.

Look into her eyes.

This is Liri Albag. For over 450 days, she has been held hostage by Hamas terrorists, torn from her family and life on October 7, 2023.

Hamas recently released a propaganda video of Liri. With unimaginable courage, her family has approved sharing these two… pic.twitter.com/kiv4iRHfBh

— Israel ישראל (@Israel) January 5, 2025

Albag was one of a number of unarmed surveillance soldiers, when thousands of Hamas terrorists swarmed over the border, overrunning the military base. One of the abducted surveillance soldiers was later rescued alive, and the body of a second one was recovered after she was murdered in captivity. The other five – Albag, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Naama Levy and Daniella Gilboa – are still hostages. Gilboa appeared in a previous proof-of-life video in July, in which she begged the government – prompted by a Hamas-approved script – for a ceasefire.

Albag’s family did not permit the media to use the footage Hamas released, although it did allow stills – and these are harrowing enough in themselves. Albag is dressed in some kind of brown jacket, with a single light above her and a dark background.

Her hair looks as though it hasn’t been cut since her abduction, or a few months at best. She looks as though she has been almost entirely kept underground and has seen little-to-no natural sunlight. The stills show she broke down while speaking, putting her head in her hands.

“The video released today tore our hearts apart,” her family said in a short statement on Saturday evening. “This is not the same daughter and sister that we know. She is in bad condition, and her difficult mental state is evident.”

“We saw our heroic Liri survive and beg for her life. She is several dozen kilometers from us, and for 456 days we have been unable to bring her home,” the family said.

They appealed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government to make decisions regarding the hostages “as if your children were there.”

“Liri is alive and must come back alive! It depends only on you,” the family said.

In a second, longer statement issued shortly after, the family said they had “watched the video that Hamas sent in horror, and we can’t breathe.”

“This is not the Liri we know, this is a shadow of Liri,” they reiterated. “While it is a sign of life, this is not the video that we were looking for. The always-strong Liri looks broken and shattered.”

“Liri, hang on a little longer”

Last night at Hostages Square, many people sent love and strength to Liri and the Albag family.

Photo Credit: SatView, Paulina Patimer, Lior Rotstein#BringThemHomeNow#TurnTheHorrorIntoHope#AllTogether pic.twitter.com/fZh7n9CLuA

— Bring Them Home Now (@bringhomenow) January 5, 2025

Albag’s parents, mother, Shira, and father, Eli, said if their daughter could her them they’d want her to know they “haven’t given up on her,” and that she’s “coming home alive.”

“Liri, if you’re hearing us, tell the others that all the families are moving heaven and earth and want their children home, and we will fight until all hostages are returned – the living for rehabilitation and the murdered and fallen for proper burial in Israel, Eli Albag said. “Tell the others – stay strong. Just a little longer and soon there will be a deal.”