Gaza city: Hamas warned on Thursday that it will not protect the lives of Israeli hostages in Gaza as long as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pursues a campaign that seeks to kill them through occupation of Gaza City and displacement of Palestinians. 'Your captives are dispersed across neighborhoods in Gaza City, and we will not safeguard their lives as long as Netanyahu has decided to kill them,' the group's armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said in a statement.
According to Anadolu Agency, the warning comes as the group cautioned Israelis that the expansion of the military operation in Gaza 'means you will not recover any hostage, alive or dead, and their fate will be the same as that of Ron Arad.' Ron Arad, an Israeli soldier, went missing in southern Lebanon in 1986. Media reports suggest he was captured by the Lebanese Amal Movement and handed over to Hezbollah during the conflict between Israel and Lebanon from 1985 to 2000. In 2006, former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah denied knowing Arad's fate and stated in an interview that he believed Arad was 'dead and lost.'
The Israeli military began its offensive on Gaza City on Aug. 11 from the Zeitoun neighborhood in the southeast, in an operation later named 'Gideon's Chariots 2.' The assault has involved demolition of homes using explosive drones, artillery shelling, random gunfire, and forced displacement. On Wednesday evening, witnesses reported the advance of Israeli heavy machinery, including tanks, into new areas in northwestern Gaza City neighborhoods.
The Al-Qassam Brigades further warned the Israeli military and political leadership, stating, 'Gaza will not be easy prey for your cowardly army. We do not fear you and are ready to send your soldiers' lives to hell.' The group emphasized that Israel is entering a 'grueling war of attrition' that will result in additional casualties and hostages. Their fighters are purportedly trained to place explosives inside Israeli military vehicles, with bulldozers being targeted to increase the number of captives.
Israel estimates that 48 Israeli hostages are currently in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive. Meanwhile, roughly 11,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, with reports of torture, starvation, and medical neglect leading to numerous deaths, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports. Israel's ongoing war on Gaza has resulted in the death of more than 65,000 Palestinians since October 2023 and has left the enclave facing famine. Additionally, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in the territory.