The Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department, Vedant Patel, stated that the FBI is investigating the veracity of the video the Hamas terrorist organization published today (Wednesday) showing hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who is an American citizen.
"The video itself is being actively examined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell," Patel said at a press briefing. "I can't comment on it any further at this time, [on] any of the specific parameters on the verification of it."
"If it's real," he noted, "this is another example of Hamas preferring to hold hostages rather than end the war and bring much-needed relief to the Palestinian people in Gaza."
"On the matter of hostage talks and negotiations," he added, "there is a deal on the table. Release the sick, the elderly, the wounded, and there is a ceasefire. It's as simple as that."
Patel stated that the world has "lost focus" on the need to free all of the hostages held by Hamas and the fact that Hamas started the war with its massacre on October 7.
"Hesh should be home with his family. We and Secretary Blinken are not going to rest a single minute until that happens," he declared.