Hamas publishes propaganda clip featuring hostages Elkana Bohbot, Yosef-Haim Ohana
Both families clear publication of video showing gaunt captives pleading with freed hostages to speak out about horrible conditions in Gaza
Hamas published a propaganda video Monday evening showing Israeli hostages Elkana Bohbot and Yosef-Haim Ohana, who were both kidnapped from the Nova music festival on October 7 and are still being held in Gaza by the terror group.
Hamas has previously issued similar videos of hostages it is holding, in what Israel characterizes as deplorable psychological warfare. The families of both Bohbot and Ohana gave Israeli media the go-ahead to publish the video in its entirety.
“You can see in the video that he is in bad shape, that he has lost a lot of weight from continued starvation, that he is suffering from problems with his skin and his breathing,” said Bohbot’s family in a statement, noting that he suffers from asthma and “hasn’t seen the light of day for almost a year and a half.”
“This video is further proof that Elkana must return home to his family,” the message continued.
The family issued an appeal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump to “think that this is your son, your father or your grandson, who is waiting to see the light of day.”
In the clip itself, the haggard-looking pair exhorted the Israeli government to allow released hostages to come forth about their horrible conditions in Hamas captivity, and Bohbot appealed by name to their freed counterpart Ohad Ben-Ami.
“Ohad, why don’t you tell them? You were with us. You were sitting with me and him,” begged Bohbot, referring to himself and Ohana.
Ohana urged an end to the recently renewed fighting in Gaza, cautioning that continued bombing could pose a risk to the hostages who remain alive.
“Before the latest ceasefire deal on January 19, when the border crossings were closed throughout the war, there was almost no food. The situation was difficult and there was no safe place,” said Ohana to the camera. “We felt neither dead nor alive.”
Both Bohbot and Ohana were among the 24 living hostages slated for release in the planned second stage of the ceasefire deal agreed upon in January, which fell apart after its first stage, with Israel renewing the fighting in Gaza.
The full propaganda video released earlier this evening showing hostages Elkana Bohbot and Yosef-Haim Ohana.
Both families have now authorized publication of the video. pic.twitter.com/6VqzWSRw1L
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) March 24, 2025
Ben Ami, who was mentioned by name in the video, later said he will not rest until all of the captives are returned home.
“I love you, and I miss you and the other three hostages who, for now, I can’t say their names,” Ben Ami wrote in a Facebook post, saying he had watched the video.
“They fear for their lives, they are lacking all hope, and as we speak the conditions of their captivity are being worsened and their food is being reduced since we returned to fighting [in Gaza],” he wrote.
Ben Ami, who said he is currently in Germany as part of efforts to lobby for their release, promises to “do everything in my power to bring you and all the hostages home to your families alive!”
Bohbot’s and Ohana’s families had received previous signs of life from their loved ones in February, when several freed hostages disclosed that they had come into contact with the two while in Hamas captivity.
Speaking to Haaretz in February, David and Ruhama Bohbot said that they had received word that Elkana, 36, was alive from a released hostage who said he had been with him for most of their time in captivity, in a small room dozens of meters underground.
Ohana’s family did not elaborate on the sign of life they received that same month, but his aunt Hana Mastronov stressed to Ynet that they had a “clear indication” the 24-year-old remained alive.
“When we saw the people who returned this past Saturday, it broke us even more than we were already broken. That is why we chose to speak to the media,” Mastronov said at the time. “[He is a] strong guy, both in mind and body. But there are limits to how much strength a person has. We’re coming up on 500 days. We didn’t think it would last this long.”
Israel believes 24 hostages are still alive in the Strip — 22 Israelis, one Thai and one Nepali. All of them are young men who were kidnapped on October 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel to kill some 1,200 people and abduct 251, sparking the war in Gaza.
Among the group are four active-duty soldiers and several people who had been working security at the Nova music festival, some of whom Hamas has claimed were soldiers as well.
Another 35 hostages who were confirmed by Israel to be dead are also being held in Gaza. They include 34 kidnapped in the Hamas onslaught and a soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza war. The slain captives would be returned in the deal’s potential third phase.
The Times of Israel Community.