Extra Time: Standoff continues at Columbia; chilling new video of American hostage in Gaza
NEW YORK (WABC) -- In this edition of Eyewitness News Extra Time, we have the latest on the ongoing protest at Columbia, the chilling new video on an American hostage in Gaza and the new search for evidence in the Gilgo Beach murders on Long Island.
The protests at Columbia have now entered its second week. On Wednesday, the university announced final exams would be taken online, and protesters have now blown through a negotiation deadline that was set for 18 hours ago.
House Speaker Mike Johnson also visited the university on Wednesday, where he held a news conference on what he says is a troubling rise of antisemitism on college campuses nationwide.
Here are the other major headlines from Wednesday's show:
Video released by Hamas of American taken hostage on Oct. 7
Family members are making a desperate plea after the release of a chilling new video of an American hostage in Gaza.
Hamas released video of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin of Chicago on Wednesday. His hand was blown off as he was abducted from the Nova Music Festival on October 7. It appears he recorded his message under duress -- showing him with his head shaven and his dominant hand missing.
But after 201 days, it appears to be proof of life of an American hostage in Gaza, and for his parents Jon and Rachel, it's a new reason to fight. Hours later, they released their own video, pleading with negotiators to get back to the table and end the madness that has consumed the Middle East.
Search underway on LI as part of Gilgo Beach investigation: sources
Investigators are searching a wooded area in Manorville as part of the Gilgo Beach investigation, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
The search began Tuesday and continues Wednesday, the sources said. Two NYPD ESU K-9s helped assist Suffolk police as they combed through the large wooded area off the Long Island Expressway near exit 70.
The Suffolk district attorney's office declined to comment on the specific nature of the search
You can watch 'Eyewitness News Extra Time' live Monday-Friday at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7NY.com or our ABC7NY app on Roku, FireTV, Apple TV and Android TV.
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