The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist group released another video on Friday of Russian-Israeli hostage Alexander Troufanov, who has remained in captivity since October 7.
This comes two days after a previous video of Troufanov was released. It is also the fourth such video of him. Other footage of hostages in captivity has been published as well in the past.
The videos cannot be corroborated by a third party. There is also no way to verify precisely when and where they were filmed or what the conditions of the hostages were during filming and afterward. Israel widely considers these videos – which PIJ and Hamas have released before – to be a form of psychological warfare.
In the video, Troufanov stands in front of an image of MK Aryeh Deri, the head of the religious political party Shas, and directly addresses him.
He asks Deri to influence the government's decisions and prevent it from abandoning him and other hostages in captivity.
Troufanov also mentions the ground entry of the IDF into Lebanon. "You forgot us," he is seen saying.
Troufanov began by explaining the importance of saving hostages in Judsaim. "I want to remind you that it is allowed to sell a Torah book and use the profit received from it to release a captive Jew."
"After a year in captivity and the abandonment of the government. You forgot us [hostages] and went to Lebanon," I am now turning to Minister Deri," he said.
Pleading to Deri to not be abandoned
"I am begging you, do not let [Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu and the government abandon us and take away our lives. Please don't let them determine that our fate will be to die here in the darkness of the tunnels and to die in Gaza without burial in Israel," he continued.
Turning to Deri, he said that the Shas leader is "the light at the end of the tunnel, which determines the fate of my life.
He continued that Deri and the members of the Shas party were the only ones left to save him from the government that "abandoned" him and the hostages.
He also quoted former chief rabbi Ovadia Yosef and mentioned the Jewish commandment to do everything for the return of hostages.
"I am putting on your shoulders the large responsibility to do everything to ensure that I will be released," Troufanov added.
"We have no time left. Without a hostage deal, we have no chance to live. Israel, please save us," Troufanov concluded in the video.