The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, released a new video on Saturday showing an Israeli captive who appeared to be critically wounded, reportedly as a result of Israeli airstrikes in the besieged Gaza Strip.

In the footage, the captive, who identified himself as “detainee number 24,” described the dire circumstances following the collapse of a ceasefire. According to his testimony, he and others were initially bombed above ground and later forced into Hamas tunnels to survive. “We were bombed again while being underground,” he said, visibly injured and in distress.

“My health is critical. There is no access to medication, and seeking medical help is impossible,” he stated, adding uncertainty about the fate of a fellow captive who had been with him. The captive squarely placed blame on the Israeli government for his current predicament, saying its policies had led to this outcome.

In a direct appeal to the Israeli public, the captive urged citizens to continue pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to agree to a prisoner exchange deal. “Protest. Demand action. Bring us home,” he implored.

Hebrew-language media have identified the individual in the video as Maxim Herkin, an Israeli-Russian dual citizen.

The video’s release comes at a critical time, as calls for a comprehensive prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas gain momentum amid growing anti-government protests inside Israel. The fate of Israeli captives held in Gaza has remained a deeply sensitive issue, especially as Israeli military operations continue to escalate and negotiations for a long-term ceasefire have yet to bear fruit.

This is the latest in a series of videos released by Hamas showcasing captives, aiming to increase pressure on the Israeli leadership to accept terms for a deal that could see the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the safe return of Israeli detainees.

There was no immediate response from the Israeli government regarding the video or the condition of the captive shown. (ILKHA)