Wounded Israeli Hostage in Gaza Slams Netanyahu, Pleads for Rescue in Qassam Video
Maxim Herkin appears injured in new Hamas footage, criticizing Israel’s inaction and urging public pressure for a prisoner exchange.
Watan-On Saturday evening, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, broadcast a video message featuring an Israeli prisoner held in Gaza, claiming he had been rescued after being injured in an airstrike on a tunnel he was in.
The captive, identified by Hebrew media as Maxim Herkin, appeared in the footage with serious head and hand injuries. He harshly criticized the Israeli government, accusing it of ignoring the fate of captives in Gaza. He stated that the war on Gaza would have ended long ago “if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son were being held here.”
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Herkin said he survived death twice since the Israeli military resumed operations on March 18, sarcastically remarking: “These are the results of military pressure and the so-called war to retrieve captives that Netanyahu and his coalition keep talking about.”
He added that his health condition was “very critical,” that he wasn’t receiving medication, and that transferring him to a hospital was not an option.
While the date of the airstrike that injured him wasn’t specified, the Qassam Brigades released a video of his rescue on April 26, suggesting the incident occurred before that date.
Herkin recounted being first struck above ground, then moved with a fellow captive to a tunnel, where they were hit again. “Once again, by God’s grace, I survived,” he said.
During the rescue scenes, he is seen pleading with medics to help another captive, saying: “Bar is inside—get Bar out,” without knowing whether his comrade was still alive.
Israeli Hostage Herkin Begs for Rescue, Blasts Government Inaction
Herkin strongly criticized the Israeli government’s negligence toward Gaza hostages, asking: “If Netanyahu’s son or a minister’s child were here, would the war still go on? I think not—everyone would be home by now.”
He called on Israelis to take to the streets and pressure Netanyahu’s government into securing a prisoner exchange deal that would lead to his and others’ release.
He ended his message by saying: “You’ll soon celebrate Independence Day—how can you celebrate while 59 of your citizens remain in Gaza? How can you raise flags and have barbecues? No one cares about us—not the government, not the Prime Minister. You see it yourselves.”
Begging for help, he added: “Please, don’t stay in your homes. Don’t let the government normalize this reality. Save us—without you, there is no hope.”
Herkin concluded: “Netanyahu will say this is part of Hamas’ psychological warfare. But the real psychological war is what I’m living through now. This might be the last thing my family ever sees of me.”
Israel estimates that 59 of its citizens are being held in Gaza, 24 of whom are believed to be alive. Meanwhile, over 9,500 Palestinians are imprisoned in Israeli jails, with human rights groups accusing Israel of torture, starvation, and medical neglect—leading to multiple deaths over recent years.
