Hamas released a video showing the final statements of slain hostages Carmel Gat and Alexander Lobanov on their Telegram on Wednesday night. Gat and Lobanov were two of the six murdered by Hamas last week, shortly before their bodies were found by the IDF.
Similarly to the videos of Ori Danino and Eden Yerushalmi, released by Hamas over the last few days, the two hostages began by introducing themselves and mentioning the harsh conditions in captivity, the lack of food, and the bombing by the IDF. The six hostages survived nearly eleven months in captivity, before being executed by Hamas last week.
Lobanov, 32, who appeared to be reading the statement, said that he was “transferred ten times to save his life.”
He addressed “Netanyahu and the government of Israel: you failed and neglected us on October 7, and now you continue to fail in every attempt to release us alive.”
Video of slain hostages Alexander Lubanov and Carmel Gat (Hamas Telegram)
Lobanov also made reference to the Shalit deal more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners were released, alluding to Hamas’s demands for Israel to release Palestinian prisoners as part of a hostage deal.
Lobanov said that he “left behind a pregnant wife, a two-year-old son, and sick parents,” and asked his family to stay strong.
His wife, Michal, gave birth to the second child while he was in captivity. The child is now five months old, was born.
Carmel Gat, 29, stated that she “didn’t know her family’s fate since being in captivity,” and asked the government to “please stop this negligence and stop this bombing and take us back to our homes.”
Similarly to previous videos, both hostages called on Israeli citizens to protest and demonstrate in the streets. “Do not let anyone close the door to negotiations,” Gat added.
Response from family
Carmel Gat’s family approved the publication of the video, according to the Hostage Family Forum, calling it “a shocking psychological terror video.”
Gil Dickman, Carmel’s cousin, said, “It’s overwhelming to hear her voice,” and that it was heartbreaking to learn that Carmel didn’t know that her father, brother, and niece were saved or that her sister-in-law Yarden was released in the November deals.
“It’s painful to realize we could have saved her — she could have been here with us.”
“In July, Netanyahu said “no” to a deal that would have saved Carmel from murder – and in so doing sentenced Carmel to death,” Dickman added.
In a call with Lobanov’s family on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized: “I want to tell you how sorry I am and ask for forgiveness for not being able to bring Sasha back alive,” Netanyahu said, according to the PMO.
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