CAIRO: Hamas’ armed wing said on Monday (Sep 2) that since June the group has been operating under new instructions on how to handle hostages should Israeli forces approach their locations in Gaza.
The announcement comes days after the Israeli military recovered the bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, saying they had been shot dead by their captors as Israeli forces got close.
Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades, did not provide details on what the instructions were. He said his group holds Israel responsible for the hostages’ deaths.
The new instructions, Ubaida said, were given to guards of hostages after a rescue operation by Israel in June. At that time, Israeli forces freed four hostages in a raid in which dozens of Palestinians, including women and children, were killed.
“Netanyahu’s insistence to free prisoners through military pressure, instead of sealing a deal, means they will be returned to their families in shrouds. Their families must choose whether they want them dead or alive,” he said.
Later on Monday, the Hamas armed wing published a pre-recorded video of one of the six dead hostages. It was unclear when the video was made.
Source: CNA
