Former hostage Yagil Yaakov responded to the Hamas propaganda video of female IDF observer Liri Albag on Saturday, stating that the clip gave him a flashback of a terrorist pointing a Kalashnikov rifle at him when he was in captivity.
Yakov's comments were posted to his Instagram story.
Yaakov was 13 years old when Hamas released him during the November 2023 pause in the Gaza war after 52 days of captivity.
While he was held hostage, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad filmed him and directed what he should say for a propaganda video similar to Albag's.
"Liri's video brought back a flashback for me from a little over a year ago when a Kalashnikov rifle was pointed toward me while I was terrified and begged to return home," the post began.
"The terrorist stood in front of me telling me what to say in [in the video], and I was alone, without anyone. I just hoped that my mom would see it and know that I just wanted to come home," the post continued.
Yaakov then explained that Albag has been in that situation "waiting for over a year."
"Liri enlisted in the IDF out of a sense of mission," he continued. "Liri needs to come home."
Then, directing his message to the Albag family, Yaakov said, "There's not many who know exactly what you're going through now like me. We’re all with you."
"Just a little longer, Liri, and you'll be home with all the hostages and us," he concluded.
Albag's video
Albag, 19, was kidnapped by terrorists from Nahal Oz during the October 7 Hamas attacks. In the Hamas propaganda video released on Saturday, she states that she's been held captive in the Gaza Strip for 450 days.
"I'm only 19 years old. I have my entire life in front of me, but now my entire life has been put on pause," Albag said in the clip.
"We're starting a really dark year here," she continued in tears. "The world is starting to forget about us. No one cares about us. We're living in a nightmare," she explained.