This New Proof of Life From a Hostage Has a Devastating Detail

The family of Alon Ohel has authorized the publication of a single still frame from a Hamas propaganda video, providing the first visual proof of life for the hostage since he was captured on October 7, 2023. The video, which also featured fellow captive Guy Gilboa-Dalal, was released after Ohel had been held in captivity for 701 days.

In a statement, the Ohel family said they were "shocked to see Alon's condition." After consulting with eye specialists in Israel and abroad, it is believed that Alon has a severe eye injury, possibly from shrapnel, and has lost sight in his right eye. "His frequent blinking indicates a severe difficulty in focusing and seeing for extended periods," the family stated. Professor Adi Einan-Lifshitz, a leading corneal specialist, said that based on the video, the trauma requires immediate care and without it, there is a serious risk of irreversible vision loss. A former hostage, Eli Cohen, who was held captive with Alon, said in a video on Instagram that it took him "no more than five seconds to look at his eyes to understand how much you're suffering." Cohen, who was held for 505 days, also recalled that captives are often kept in tunnels without daylight, starved, and chained, conditions that Israel's Health Ministry has called "immediate life-threatening."

The Ohel family and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum have urged the public and media not to circulate the full propaganda video, calling it a "psychological operation" by Hamas. Alon's mother, Idit Ohel, told Channel 12 news that she "hardly recognized" her son. "His voice is broken. It's absolutely clear that he doesn't see well," she said.

In their statement, the family emphasized that Alon is not only an Israeli citizen but also holds Serbian and German citizenship. "No international law permits holding a wounded civilian hostage without proper medical care," they said, placing responsibility for his well-being on Hamas and calling on the international community not to "remain silent."

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has called on the Israeli government to "immediately send a negotiation team" to advance an agreement for the hostages' return. This plea came in response to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, which reiterated its five principles for ending the war, including the release of all hostages, the disarmament of Hamas, the demilitarization of Gaza, Israeli security control, and the establishment of a civilian administration that poses no threat.