Heartbreaking video released by Islamic Jihad shows young boy being held in Gaza

A new video has been released showing two hostages taken by the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad, in Gaza.

The chilling video shows two hostages, one of whom is a young boy and the other is an elderly woman. It is believed they were among the hostages taken by gunman on the bloody October 7 attack.

In the video, it was reportedly said that the two would be released for humanitarian and medical reasons if certain conditions were met, The Times of Israel reported. The video opens on the elderly hostage, a woman thought to be 77-years-old and in a wheelchair. She speaks into the camera for around two minutes with a blurred background, before the video changes to a teenage boy thought to be 13.

Family and friends of those taken hostage by Hamas during an attack on Israel react as they listen to speeches during a press conference in Tel Aviv (Getty Images)

He is seemingly in a different location and the video is heavily edited throughout. In the chilling video, the two hostages are made to speak at length, including reportedly criticising the Israeli state and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Alongside that they are made to thank their captors.

Just over a month ago, a bloody attack led by Hamas surged across the border from Gaza into Israel, surprising the country's intelligence services as they slaughtered innocents in their homes. Over 1,400 died and over 200 people were taken hostage. This sparked the latest round of fighting that has seen over 10,000 Palestinians killed due to Hamas' actions.

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It is thought that the elderly woman in the hostage video is Hanna Katzir. The group Bring Them Home Now, previously said: "[Hanna] managed to send a message to her family, reassuring them that she and her husband, Rami, were safe and locked in the safe room. Tragically, Rami's lifeless body was later discovered in that same room."

The teenage boy is thought to be Jacob Yagil, who was said to be home alone with his brother when they were kidnapped. The Times of Israel reported that they called their mother from their safe room - a harrowing account she shared in the animated short created by Yoni Goodman.

It was said the older brother tried to hold the door shut before the gunman forced their way in. The last thing she heard was her younger son saying, “Don’t take me, I’m too young.”

The Mirror has decided not to share the hostage video due to the nature under which it was filmed, and involvement of the hostages.