Hamas’ armed wing announced on Monday that the group has been following new guidelines on handling hostages since June if Israeli forces approach their locations in Gaza. This statement came shortly after the Israeli military discovered the bodies of six hostages in a tunnel in Rafah, southern Gaza, who had been shot by their captors as Israeli forces neared.
Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades, withheld specifics about the new instructions but blamed Israel for the hostages’ deaths. He stated these new directives were issued to hostage guards following an Israeli rescue operation in June, where four hostages were freed, and many Palestinians, including women and children, were killed.
“Netanyahu’s insistence on freeing prisoners through military means, rather than negotiating a deal, means they will return to their families in shrouds. Their families must decide whether they want them dead or alive,” Ubaida added.
Later on Monday, Hamas’ armed wing released a pre-recorded video of one of the six deceased hostages, though the video’s date was unclear.
In a press conference on Monday, Netanyahu claimed the hostages were shot in the back of the head and vowed that Hamas would face severe repercussions. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri countered, accusing Netanyahu of deflecting blame for the deaths. “Netanyahu killed the six prisoners and is determined to kill the remaining ones. Israelis must choose between Netanyahu or a deal,” Abu Zuhri stated.
Ezzat El Rashq, a member of the Hamas political bureau, echoed this sentiment in a statement released by the group: “The resistance’s hostages can immediately return to their families; the one stalling their return and responsible for their lives is Netanyahu.”
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has stalled efforts to reach an agreement that would end the war and secure the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Hamas seeks an agreement to cease hostilities and withdraw Israeli forces from Gaza, while Netanyahu insists the war will only end with Hamas’ defeat.
