Hamas releases video showing Israeli hostage alive

Hamas released on Friday a video of an Israeli hostage seen alive and addressing his family after identifying himself.

In the footage, he is heard urging Israeli authorities to implement the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

The ceasefire's first phase ended last weekend, after six weeks of relative calm that included exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

While Israel has said it wants to extend the first phase until mid-April, Hamas has insisted on a transition to the deal's second phase, which should lead to a permanent end to the war.

AFP was unable to verify the video's authenticity and withheld the hostage's identity pending approval from the captive's family.

Of the 251 hostages taken by Palestinian fighters during Hamas's October 2023 attack which started the war, 58 remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military has said are dead.