Parents of 5 female soldiers plead with Netanyahu to secure hostage deal

The parents of five hostage surveillance soldiers plead with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to secure the release of all the captives held in Gaza.

The parents release new pictures of their daughters from the early days of captivity following a meeting with Netanyahu.

In a press conference, they urge the prime minister to agree to a deal before it is too late.

They say that pictures are taken from a video clip retrieved by the IDF and first shown to them some months ago that was filmed soon after they were taken hostage.

Elsewhere in the clip, Channel 12 reports, one of their Hamas captors is seen.

“My little Karina, only 19 years old, is in Gaza. Today, you see footage of Karina and her friends in their first days of captivity. It’s so vivid. Karina sitting on a mattress on the floor, with an exhausted and desperate look,” says Albert Ariev, father of Karina Ariev.

“She has a shocking bandage on her head with dried blood. On her leg, you can see fresh blood stains seeping into her pajama pants. There are strong marks of handcuffs and binding on her wrists. Swelling in her hands indicates that Karina was bound for a long time,” he says.

“The agreement currently on the table is the closest we’ve ever been. Since the morning of October 7. All we ask is for Karina back; we want our small family to be whole again,” he says.

“Mr. Prime Minister, this is a personal appeal to you, first, close the deal! Then you can travel safely and return safely,” says Shlomi Berger, father of Agam Berger, referring to Netanyahu’s upcoming trip to Washington.

“This is not the time for trips when your presence here, at the most critical time for our country, is essential,” he says.