Hamas Threatens to Kill Hostages Amidst Gaza Conflict

On Monday, the Palestinian militant group Hamas issued a chilling threat, warning that they would execute hostages if the Israeli army carried out air strikes without prior warning, targeting residents of the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the Ezzedine Al Qassem Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, declared, “Every targeting of our people without warning will be met with the execution of one of the civilian hostages. 

The enemy doesn’t understand the language of humanity and ethics, so we’ll address them in the language they understand.”

Hamas’ Ultimatum:

Hamas’ armed wing spokesman, Abu Obeida, emphasized that the group would take the drastic step of killing one Israeli civilian captive for every Israeli attack on civilians in their homes in Gaza that occurred “without prior warning.”

Israeli Response:

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen responded sternly to Hamas’ threat, stating, “This war crime will not be forgiven.” Israel strongly warned Hamas against harming any of the hostages.

The recent escalation of the dispute between Israel and Hamas is the backdrop to these threats. 

Israeli forces have conducted airstrikes in the Gaza Strip over the past three days in response to a surprise attack by Hamas militants on southern Israeli towns. This attack resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives.

Hostages and Their Families:

Militants from Hamas, taking advantage of cover from thousands of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, retreated to the enclave with approximately 100 hostages. 

On Monday, an Israeli military spokesman confirmed that information about around 30 of these hostages had been provided to their families.

The situation remains extremely tense, with both sides engaging in military actions and issuing strong statements as the conflict unfolds.

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