Liri Albag: Family of hostage in latest Hamas video urges Netanyahu to take ‘opportunity to bring them back’

CNN — The family of a hostage who appears in the latest video released by Hamas has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seize the opportunity to do a ceasefire deal, describing the footage as having “torn our hearts to pieces.” The release of the video of Liri Albag comes amid the resumption in Doha of indirect negotiations on a possible ceasefire-for-hostages deal – talks that have so far shown few signs of progress, according to Israeli and Egyptian officials. Appealing to “the new leader of the free world, President-elect Donald Trump,” she urged the US to use its influence to get a deal done, saying it would “show the world what the United States can do.” Negotiations underway The prime minister’s office said that Netanyahu had spoken with Liri’s parents, Shira and Eli, on Saturday and assured them “that Israel continues to work tirelessly for the return of Liri and all hostages, and that the efforts are underway – including at this very moment.” Israeli President Isaac Herzog also spoke to Liri’s parents Saturday and according to his office “reiterated that the Israeli representatives currently conducting negotiations must persist and remain at the negotiating table until all 100 hostages are returned home.” Their comments come after Hamas said on Friday that indirect negotiations were resuming in Doha, Qatar, and would focus on the “agreement leading to a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip… and the return of the displaced to their homes from which they were expelled in all areas of the Strip.” However an Israeli and an Egyptian official have told CNN they have seen little progress in the talks. “Israel, on various occasions has offered safe passage to Hamas’s leadership and fighters out of Gaza,” Blinken told New York Times journalist and CNN contributor Lulu Garcia-Navarro. The Hostages Forum said that every day “poses an immediate risk of death to the living hostages and endangers the ability to recover the fallen for proper burial.” Noting Trump’s ultimatum, the forum added: “It is time for our prime minister and other world leaders to take courageous action and bring Liri and all the hostages home.”