Merz Condemns Hamas Video Showing Deteriorating Condition of German-Israeli Hostage
Berlin – Chancellor Friedrich Merz has condemned as “inhumane and unbearable” a newly released video from Hamas displaying teh condition of German-Israeli hostage Alon Ohel. The video, published Monday, marks the second time in recent weeks Hamas has showcased Ohel in what authorities describe as propaganda. Merz is demanding the immediate release of all hostages and a ceasefire to end the suffering.
Ohel, 24, was abducted during the Hamas terrorist attack on the Nova Festival in Israel on October 7, 2023. He holds both German and Israeli citizenship. His parents, Idit and Kobi Ohel, have pleaded with the media and public not to disseminate the video, stating they are “shaken and full of pain” by their sonS visibly deteriorating health. They report he appears thin, anxious, and is losing eyesight in his right eye.
The parents have issued a statement through the forum of relatives, demanding that Hamas allow medical professionals to examine and treat Ohel. “As a prerequisite for any negotiations (…), we demand that eye specialists Alon examine and treat,” they wrote, also appealing to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prioritize the return of their son and the remaining 48 hostages held in Gaza, of whom at least 20 are believed to be alive.
Israeli officials have characterized the hostage videos as terrorist propaganda, though relatives have sometimes authorized their release. hamas has repeatedly used such videos as a form of psychological pressure.
