About half of the remaining Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas were killed in Gaza, an Israeli-American captive said in a rare proof-of-life video.
Hamas released a two-minute video Wednesday evening showing Hersch Goldberg-Polin, 24, calling on the Israeli government to bring him home.
Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, which would have included a hostage exchange and a pause in fighting, have failed.
The video was released as Israel prepares to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah in preparation for a major offensive. Hamas warned that an attack would risk the lives of other hostages.
Mr. Goldberg-Polin, born in California, was kidnapped at the Nova festival, where he lost an arm in a grenade attack.
The video was likely made under duress, and Mr. Goldberg-Polin appeared sickly, pale and thin as he read at least part of his statement through a teleprompter.
It is not known exactly when the video was recorded, but it appears to have been very recent since Mr. Goldberg-Polin spoke of the 200 days of captivity, which he would have celebrated earlier this week, and the Passover holiday, which started Monday evening. He spoke of living “in an underground hell, without water, without food, without sunlight and without medical care.”
He said at least 70 of the approximately 130 remaining hostages had been killed in Gaza during Israeli bombardments, he said, likely repeating a phrase given to him by his captors. Official Israeli estimates put the figure closer to 35.
A White House spokesperson confirmed receiving the video, the first by Hamas to make public a video of an American hostage.
An official said the FBI and hostage rescue experts analyzed the footage to see if they could learn anything from it.
Mr Goldberg-Polin, whose family was one of the most active supporters of a hostage deal with Hamas, said Benjamin Netanyahu and his government “should be ashamed” for failing to stop the war in Gaza.
Mr Goldberg-Polin told his parents in the video “I love you and miss you so much” and wished them a happy Passover.
His family launched a campaign to demand his release, with posters showing him smiling and bearing the slogan “Bring Hersch Home,” often seen on walls in Israeli cities.
His family had no immediate comment but said they would release a statement later.
A group representing the families of some of the hostages said Wednesday that the family agreed to let the media use the video that they say highlights their son’s plight.
“Hersh’s cry is the collective cry of all the hostages: their time is running out,” the group said in a statement.
“We cannot afford to waste any more time; the hostages must be the top priority.
Hamas has repeatedly admitted that it does not know the whereabouts of the 133 hostages currently in captivity in Gaza, as some of them were kidnapped by Palestinian civilians rather than Hamas fighters.
During recent ceasefire negotiations, Hamas refused to share with Israel a list of all living hostages, raising fears that there may be fewer survivors than previously thought.
Earlier on Wednesday, Israeli army chief Herzl Halevi and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar visited Cairo to discuss with Egyptian intelligence officers Israel’s plans for an operation in Rafah, as well as efforts to to reach a hostage deal with Hamas.
The United States and the West have clashed with Israel over its plans in Rafah and have also pressured the Israeli government over illegal settlements.
The US State Department on Wednesday called reports “dangerous and reckless” that Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Finance Minister, was pushing to legalize dozens of settler outposts in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
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