Hamas threatens to 'neutralise' hostages if Israel launches rescue operation: Report
A chair is left in front of posters with pictures of hostages, who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. Photograph:( Reuters )
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According to the document dated November 22, Hamas told its operatives not to consider any repercussions of following the instructions, adding that Israel was responsible for the fate of the hostages.
According to the document dated November 22, Hamas told its operatives not to consider any repercussions of following the instructions, adding that Israel was responsible for the fate of the hostages.
Palestinian militant group Hamas had threatened to "neutralise" or kill the captives if Israel carried out a hostage rescue operation, similar to the one it conducted in Gaza's Nuseirat camp in June, according to an internal statement seen by Reuters on Wednesday (Dec 4).
According to the document dated November 22, Hamas told its operatives not to consider any repercussions of following the instructions, adding that Israel was responsible for the fate of the hostages.
However, it did not mention anything about when the Israeli operation is expected to take place.
Israel has not commented on this report yet.
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Earlier today, Israeli media cited Defence Minister Israel Katz, saying that pressure on Hamas was increasing and this time "we will really be able to advance a hostage deal."
Earlier in June, hostages Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv were rescued by the Israeli security forces.
These four people were abducted on October 7 from the Nova music festival.
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More than 270 Palestinian civilians were killed after Israeli forces hid in aid trucks.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Shin Bet, and the Israeli police conducted a complex operation in the centre of the Gaza Strip. During the operation, Commander Arnon Zamora was killed and the operation was later renamed Operation Arnon.
Around three months after the rescue operation, six hostages were murdered in a tunnel in Rafah by Hamas militants.
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(With inputs from agencies)
