The families of the hostages Maxim Herkin, 37, and Bar Kupershtein, 23, gave permission for a clip of a Hamas propaganda video to be published on Thursday. The clip is from a longer video which is intended to voice the families’ cry against the possibility of a partial hostage release deal that would include “cruel selections” and “separation between blood and blood.” The clip was taken from a video published by Hamas in April, but at that time, the Herkin and Kupershtein families did not approve its publication. Maxim Herkin, the father of a three-year-old girl, was kidnapped from the Nova music festival. His mother has Russian citizenship. Bar Kupershtein’s abduction was the second major blow in the family in recent years. His father was severely injured several years ago when he stopped to help someone on the side of the road and remains severely disabled. Bar began working full-time after his father was injured to support his parents and four younger siblings. He was working as a guard at the festival when he was abducted. Bar’s mother, Julie, became frum a number of years ago and has been very active in organizing tefillos and other events related to ruchniyus for the release of the hostages. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)