Hamas, the militant group controlling Gaza, has announced that one Israeli hostage was killed and two others were seriously injured in separate incidents within the Gaza Strip. According to Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for Hamas’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, the incidents involved guards who were responsible for monitoring the hostages.’In two separate incidents, two individuals responsible for guarding the prisoners fired at an Israeli prisoner, killing him immediately, in addition to seriously injuring two prisoners,’ Abu Ubaida stated. Hamas claims that efforts are being made to save the lives of the two injured hostages, who are reportedly women.This marks the first time Hamas has admitted to its members directly causing the death of an Israeli hostage inside Gaza. Previously, Hamas had attributed hostage deaths to Israeli bombings or shortages of food and medicine.The Israeli military has not confirmed or denied the information, with spokesperson Daniel Hagari stating, ‘At this time, we do not have any intelligence information that allows us to deny or confirm Hamas’ claims’. The Israeli army has launched an investigation into the matter.Hamas has blamed the Israeli government for these incidents, citing ongoing ‘massacres’ in Gaza. Abu Ubaida stated, ‘The responsibility for the Gaza massacres and the resulting reactions lies entirely with the Israeli government’.This development comes amid ongoing tensions and negotiations regarding hostages held by Hamas since the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Prior to this announcement, 111 hostages were believed to still be held in Gaza, including 39 who had reportedly died, according to the Israeli army.The incident has intensified calls for a resolution to the hostage situation. Israeli security officials are reportedly urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a prisoner exchange deal, citing that ‘time is running out’ for the Israeli captives in Gaza.As investigations continue and efforts to verify the information are underway, this incident may have significant implications for ongoing peace negotiations and the broader conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Key points
- Hamas announced the killing of one Israeli hostage and serious injury of two others by its own guards in Gaza.
- This is the first time Hamas has admitted to directly causing the death of an Israeli hostage.
- The Israeli military has not confirmed the information and is investigating the claims.
- The incident may impact ongoing negotiations for hostage releases and broader peace talks.
Contradictions👾While Hamas claims responsibility for the incidents, the Israeli military states they lack intelligence to confirm or deny the claims.
