Family Urges Ceasefire Amid Hostage Negotiations

The family of Liri Albag, a 19-year-old Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas for over 450 days, has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to leverage a recent video release to negotiate a ceasefire and secure hostages' release. In the video, Albag expresses distress and claims she feels forgotten by the Israeli government, reflecting the psychological toll of her captivity. As indirect negotiations for a ceasefire resume in Doha, progress has been reported as minimal by Israeli and Egyptian officials. Albag's family described the footage as heartbreaking, emphasizing her evident suffering and pleading for urgent action to bring her home. They appealed not only to Netanyahu but also to global leaders, stressing that the time for decisive action is now. As of December, approximately 100 hostages remain in Gaza, while Israel's military response has resulted in significant casualties in the region.