A US-Israeli hostage pleaded with Donald Trump to use his “influence” to free him in a proof-of-life video released by Hamas.

Hostage Edan Alexander, 20, screams, cries, and buries his head in his hands as he sits inside a dark room pleading for help.

In the three-and-a-half-minute video, Mr Alexander addressed Benjamin Netanyahu before switching to English and appealing directly to Mr Trump: “Please use your influence and the full power of the United States to negotiate for our freedom.”

In what is thought to be the first time a hostage has directly called on Mr Trump for aid, Mr Alexander added: “Please, do not make the mistake Biden has been doing.

“The weapons he has sent are now killing us and the unlawful sieges are now starving us. I don’t want to end up dead like my fellow USA citizen [Hersh Goldberg-Polin]”.

Mr Goldberg-Polin was killed by Hamas in August.