Hamas officials in Gaza have released a video of a captured Israeli citizen held without communication since 2015, which shows the man lying in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask.
This was the first image of Hisham al-Sayed released since he wandered across the border from southern Israel to Gaza. His release came a day after Hamas said the condition of one of the Israelis he held in captivity had deteriorated.
In the video, Sayed, 34, is seen lying in bed with a mask over his mouth and nose and what looks like an oxygen box next to him. He looks tired and dizzy. He does not speak and has no audio.
Other parts of the video show an intravenous drop by the bed, as well as an image of Syed’s Israeli ID card. Sayed is a member of Israel’s Bedouin Arab minority.
The video is titled “Footage of the soldier in the occupation army Hisham Sayed, detained by the Kassam brigades.” It is not dated, but a TV screen in the video shows images from the Qatar Economic Forum, which took place in Doha last week.
Syed is one of two Israeli civilians believed to be held by Hamas. Human rights groups say they both suffer from mental illness. The Islamic extremist group did not give details about the conditions or whereabouts of its prisoners and never allowed the Red Cross to visit them.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett condemned the release of the video and said Hamas was holding two mentally ill people against “all international law.”
“Issuing a video of a sick person is a despicable and desperate act,” a statement from his office said.
He described Saeed as a civilian with a mental illness who had crossed the Gaza border several times before. “Hamas’ actions are proof that this is a cynical terrorist and criminal organization,” the statement said, adding that the video slowed down any possibility of a deal.
Hamas has demanded the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including people convicted of deadly attacks, in exchange for captured Israelis.
Israel and Hamas are fierce enemies. They have fought four wars and dozens of smaller skirmishes since Hamas took control of Gaza 15 years ago.
Since then, Israel and Egypt have maintained a strict blockade of the territory. Israel says the closure is necessary to prevent Hamas from building its military capacity, but critics say the policy equates to a collective punishment of Gaza’s 2 million Palestinians.
Israel says there can be no major steps towards lifting the blockade until the remains of soldiers and captured civilians are released.
Bennett’s office said Israel would continue to work through Egyptian mediation to free the captives.
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