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Hamas Releases Video of US-Israeli Hostage in Gaza

Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American hostage kidnapped in the deadly October 7 2023 attack pleads for US President-elect Donald Trump to secure his release amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in this screen grab taken from a Handout video by Hamas Military Wing released on November 30, 2024. - Reuters
Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American hostage kidnapped in the deadly October 7 2023 attack pleads for US President-elect Donald Trump to secure his release amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in this screen grab taken from a Handout video by Hamas Military Wing released on November 30, 2024. - Reuters
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Hamas Releases Video of US-Israeli Hostage in Gaza

Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American hostage kidnapped in the deadly October 7 2023 attack pleads for US President-elect Donald Trump to secure his release amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in this screen grab taken from a Handout video by Hamas Military Wing released on November 30, 2024. - Reuters
Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American hostage kidnapped in the deadly October 7 2023 attack pleads for US President-elect Donald Trump to secure his release amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in this screen grab taken from a Handout video by Hamas Military Wing released on November 30, 2024. - Reuters

Palestinian group Hamas released a video of an Israeli-American hostage on Saturday, in which he pleads for US President-elect Donald Trump to secure his release.

Yael Alexander, the mother of hostage Edan Alexander, said she was shaken by the 3-1/2-minute video, which showed the 20-year-old captive looking pale, seated in a dark space against a wall. He identified himself and addressed his family, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump.

The video "gives us hope, but it also shows how difficult it is for Edan and for the other hostages, and how much they are crying out and praying for us to rescue them," his mother said at a Tel Aviv rally calling for the hostages' release.

"My dear, beloved Edan, we miss you painfully," she said before she called on Israel's leaders to end the war in Gaza and make a deal with Hamas to release the hostages.

Netanyahu said in a statement that the video was cruel psychological warfare and that he had told Alexander's family in a phone call that Israel was working tirelessly to bring the hostages home.

Alexander, a soldier at the time of his abduction, was taken to Gaza during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on southern Israel.

Around half of the 101 foreign and Israeli hostages still held incommunicado in Gaza are believed to be alive.

Hamas leaders were expected to arrive in Cairo on Saturday for ceasefire talks with Egyptian officials to explore ways to reach a deal that could secure the release of hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners.

The fresh bid comes after Washington said this week it was reviving efforts toward that goal.

The Biden administration, in office until Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration, said it is working "around the clock" to secure the release of US citizens held hostage by Hamas.

"We have a critical opportunity to conclude the deal to release the hostages, stop the war, and surge humanitarian assistance into Gaza," said White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett. "This deal is on the table now."

The Hostages Families Forum urged the administrations of both outgoing President Joe Biden and Trump to step up efforts to secure a hostage release.

"The hostages' lives hang by a thread," it said.

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Clashes Erupt between Local Factions, Armed Tribal Groups in Syria’s Suwayda

Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)
Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)
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Clashes Erupt between Local Factions, Armed Tribal Groups in Syria’s Suwayda

Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)
Scenes of normal life in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya (SANA)

Intense clashes erupted in southern Syria between local factions in Suwayda province and armed tribal groups from the surrounding countryside, stoking fears of renewed sectarian violence between communities in Suwayda and neighboring Daraa.

The fighting broke out in the western countryside of Suwayda, just a day after Druze religious leaders and community elders announced the start of an agreement intended to bring stability to the area. Conflicting reports have emerged about the reasons behind the escalation.

Local Telegram channels reported what they called a “military escalation” as armed Bedouin groups, described as “outlaws,” were accused of attempting to break a siege around Bedouin-inhabited villages in the western countryside. Mortar exchanges and machine gun fire were reported between the two sides.

In particular, the village of Al-Dara, home to Bedouin tribes, was reportedly shelled from the nearby town of Al-Thaala. In response, tribal fighters launched a counteroffensive, leading to clashes that involved the use of heavy weaponry.

The independent news outlet Suwayda 24 reported that Al-Thaala itself came under attack from unknown groups firing mortars and machine guns from the western outskirts of the town. The incident triggered a gun battle between local defenders and the attackers.

Rumors further fueled tensions, with some claiming that local factions attempted to destroy a mosque and targeted civilian neighborhoods. Meanwhile, Al-Rasid, another outlet covering Suwayda, noted a sharp increase in provocative videos and audio messages alleging that Suwayda factions were besieging tribal areas and setting fire to mosques.

Officials have denied these claims. Religious leaders reaffirmed that mosques remained protected by local factions. Despite this, armed groups from eastern Daraa, reportedly not locals, began shelling Suwayda villages.

Sources in Daraa told Suwayda 24 that these groups, arriving on motorcycles and in vehicles equipped with mortars and heavy weapons, have been trying to provoke unrest for days. Videos and messages circulated on WhatsApp were allegedly aimed at inciting local communities.

The clashes have already had humanitarian consequences. Mortar attacks on villages including Haran, Al-Thaala, Rasas, and Ara resulted in the death of one civilian and injuries to eight others. Dozens of families, particularly women and children, have fled to safer areas.

Local sources say the violence is a deliberate attempt to sow discord between the Druze and tribal communities. They urged residents of both Suwayda and Daraa to resist incitement and work together to de-escalate the situation.

Meanwhile, Syria’s Interior Ministry announced the release of 22 detainees from the towns of Sahnaya and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya in Damascus Countryside, stating they were not involved in bloodshed during recent unrest.

Separately, the Israeli military announced it had raided and destroyed a former Syrian regime command post on Mount Hermon. Israeli forces reportedly uncovered weapons caches and military infrastructure during the operation and seized the materials.