TRANSCRIPT
Concerns are mounting over the fate of 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander, believed to be the last living American hostage held by Hamas in Gaza.
On the weekend, Hamas released a video that appeared to show Mr Alexander, who was captured on 7 October 2023 during the initial attacks on southern Israel.
In the footage, he pleads for help and questions why no deal has secured his release.
“President Trump, I had believed that you would succeed in getting me out of here alive. Why did you fall victim to Netanyahu's lies? Tell me why. Why am I here today? I suffer from nightmares at night. Everyday, I hear my mother's voice, my father's voice, my little brother's voice. Everyday I hear their voices. Why? Why am I here today?”
Then, on Tuesday, Hamas' armed wing said it had lost contact with the group responsible for holding Alexander, claiming an Israeli airstrike may have hit the area where he was being kept.
Back in March, Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff had said securing Alexander’s release was a top priority.
Meanwhile, Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, released a separate video message on Tuesday, aimed at the families of other captives.
It featured archival footage of Israeli soldiers’ bodies being returned in black coffins, overlaid with the words: “Be ready. Soon, your children will return in black coffins.”
The hostage crisis remains at the centre of Israel’s military operation.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an unannounced visit to Israeli troops stationed in northern Gaza.
"I am here with the minister of defence, with the IDF commanders, and our regular fighters and the wonderful reservists. They are doing a great job here in the Gaza Strip. They are hitting the enemy - and Hamas will take more and more hits. We insist that they release our hostages, and we insist on achieving all our war goals. And we are doing this thanks to our heroic fighters. They are simply doing a wonderful job."
Defence Minister Israel Katz, who joined Mr Netanyahu, says operations would continue and intensify if Hamas failed to cooperate.
"This outpost we are on - it overlooks Gaza, strikes the heads of the terrorists, damages the terror infrastructure and at the same time protects the Israeli communities - this is the way we do it and these are our lessons. We will never allow this kind of enemy to threaten our communities and our citizens. And therefore the operation that is currently taking place is pressuring Hamas to first release the hostages, and the more it persists in its refusal, the more we will intensify the blows it will suffer until it is defeated and all the hostages are returned."
But while Israel pushes ahead militarily, pressure is also coming from inside the country.
Hostage families are urging Mr Netanyahu to strike a deal, while far-right members of his coalition want to see the war continue until Hamas is dismantled.
In Gaza, displaced Palestinians have expressed little faith in the ongoing ceasefire talks.
Many say even a truce will not restore what’s been lost.
"I don't believe that, after the number of martyrs and injuries we have reached today, there will be a solution. And if there is a solution, it will not be one that matches the scale of the sacrifices made by the people, or the losses we have suffered due to the ongoing aggression on Gaza, which has now lasted for more than a year and a half. I don't believe that there will be a deal that will be in the interest of the Palestinian people. And if there is an agreement, it will be against us, not in our interest."
Negotiations are ongoing, with Hamas delegations visiting Cairo and are expected to continue talks in Doha.
But a key issue remains unresolved: Hamas is demanding a full end to the war, while Israel is reportedly only offering a temporary ceasefire.
This displaced Palestinian resident says more guarantees are needed from Israeli and international governments.
"We want international guarantees, especially from America, which Israel seeks protection from. We want guarantees from them that after they take their hostages, they will not return and kill us again. We want these guarantees. If they agree to this, fine. If not, leave us, we are dead, and let their hostages die with us. They are no better than us. We die, and they die like us."
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continue.
On Tuesday, a strike near the Kuwaiti Field Hospital in Khan Younis killed a medic and wounded nine others.
The Health Ministry in Gaza says at least 17 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to around 51,000 since the war began, with more than half believed to be women and children.
