(NewsNation) — Israel says there are 229 hostages being held by Hamas, and among those who remain in captivity are the family members of Dr. Moran Betzer-Tayar.
Her nephew and his wife were kidnapped in the Oct. 7 assault on Israel, and now the wife, 36-year-old Rimon Kirsht, was seen alive in a hostage video released Monday by Hamas.
“We were happy to see that Rimon is alive,” Betzer-Tayar said Monday on “CUOMO.” “It gave us a little bit of faith that we can, that we still have hope and we still have the chance to bring her back home.”
The video shows three women — identified by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Yelena Trupanob, Danielle Aloni and Rimon Kirsht — sitting side by side against a bare wall, with Aloni addressing an angry message to the prime minister.
Accusing Netanyahu of failing to protect Israeli citizens during the deadly Hamas attack and failing to get them back home, she called for an agreement to secure their release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
“You were supposed to free all of us. You committed to free us all. But instead, we are carrying your political, security, military, diplomatic failure,” she said.
Netanyahu condemned the video as “cruel psychological propaganda” but in a statement repeated a pledge to make every effort to bring the hostages home.
That’s exactly what Betzer-Tayar wants him to do.
“I think it’s our government and the international community’s business to see how they release them, but it’s their job to release them, and it’s our job to say we want them back home immediately,” Betzer-Tayar said. “So, I won’t tell them how to do it, but for me, they need to bring them back home as fast as possible.”
So far, only four hostages have been released, two of them American. Illinois teen Natalie Raanan and her mother were taken in the assault but later released for what Hamas called “humanitarian reasons.” Natalie Raanan has returned home, a consulate official announced Monday.
The Oct. 7 assault left more than 1,400 Israelis dead. In response, the Israel Defense Forces has engaged in a heavy aerial bombardment of Gaza and is expanding ground operations in the northern part of the Palestinian enclave.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says more than 8,300 people have been killed – 66% of them women and children — and tens of thousands injured, prompting humanitarian concerns. The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said Monday “an immediate humanitarian cease-fire has become a matter of life and death for millions,” accusing Israel of “collective punishment” of Palestinians and the forced displacement of civilians.
As Betzer-Tayar awaits the potential release of her nephew and his wife, she hopes the world will understand Israel’s aim is to go after only those who committed acts of terrorism, not civilians.
“I think people are confused and misinterpret the situation, and I ask people to listen more and to read more and to know more not just from the headlines, but also from the reality that we experienced here in Israel,” Betzer-Tayar said.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this story.
