The armed wing of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said hostages in Gaza will return to Israel ‘in coffins’ if Israeli military pressure continues. They also warned that fighters had been given ‘new instructions’ on what to do if Israeli soldiers came close to rescuing prisoners.
Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obayda said, ‘[Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s insistence on freeing the prisoners through military force rather than a deal means they will be returned to their families in coffins. They have to choose whether to accept their family dead or alive.’
He made this statement on Monday. Two days earlier, Israel recovered the bodies of six prisoners from Gaza.
“Netanyahu and his army are responsible for the deaths of prisoners in the context of Israel’s deliberate blocking of any prisoner exchange agreement,” the statement said.
Earlier, Netanyahu claimed that Hamas killed the bodies recovered from a tunnel in Rafah, southern Gaza.
He said in a press conference, ‘I apologize to you for not bringing them alive.’
It should be noted that there is a massive protest in Israel for making an agreement with Hamas to rescue hostages held in Gaza.
“We came close,” Netanyahu said. But could not succeed. Hamas will have to pay a lot for this.’
However, senior Hamas official Izzat al-Rishek said that the six prisoners were killed by an Israeli airstrike.
The attack has increased pressure on the Israeli prime minister to negotiate a ceasefire.