The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, has accused the Israeli military of deliberately bombing a site in Gaza where Israeli captives were being held, claiming the strikes were aimed at killing the hostages.
In a statement on Saturday via Telegram, Abu Obaida, spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, alleged that Israeli forces targeted the location repeatedly to ensure the death of the captives.
“Our fighters attempted to rescue the enemy prisoners and succeeded in retrieving one of them, whose fate remains unknown,” he said, adding that Hamas holds Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the military leadership “fully responsible” for the deaths of the captives.
A video released by the Al-Qassam Brigades showed the aftermath of the bombing, though the identity or condition of the captives in the footage was not disclosed.
Israel estimates that 101 of its citizens are currently being held in Gaza. Efforts by mediators, including the US, Egypt, and Qatar, to broker a ceasefire and a prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas have reportedly stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to pause military operations.
The Gaza conflict, now in its second year, has resulted in over 44,800 deaths, predominantly women and children, according to reports. International bodies, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), have issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other officials for alleged war crimes in Gaza, while Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
