Al-Qassam 'moved me 10 times to save my life', captive says in video

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al-Qassam Brigades - Military Media
4 Sep 2024 22:15
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Al-Qassam Brigades releases a new video of messages made by two Israeli captives before their death.

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An illustration released by al-Qassam Brigades shows a body bag surrounded by bullets and Israeli bombs which reads: "Time is running out." (al-Qassam Brigades/Military Media)

Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades released video footage of two Israeli captives, Carmel Gat and Alexander Lobanov, who addressed the Israeli government and settlers, before dying last week.

Gat and Lobanov are among six Israeli captives whose bodies were retrieved from the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday. Their deaths alarmed Israeli officials, politicians, and settlers, who are demanding a ceasefire be reached in order to retrieve the remaining captives from the Gaza Strip.

The al-Qassam Brigades had released footage of two other settlers who similarly demanded a prisoner exchange deal be finalized with the Palestinian Resistance.

On Wednesday, Lobanov said al-Qassam fighters guarding him since October 7, 2023, had transferred him to several different locations to protect him from indiscriminate Israeli bombing and shelling.

"They transferred me 10 times to save my life," the Israeli captive said.

Israeli airstrikes and direct friendly fire had killed multiple Israeli settlers previously.

Lobanov also criticized Netanyahu for failing to "protect" him and others on October 7, adding, "And now you continue to fail in every attempt to release us alive."

"You are just trying to kill us to avoid completing a deal," the settler said.

Both captives asked Israeli settlers to protest to secure their release and warned of the dire living situations they experienced, including shortages of food, water, and sanitary materials, due to the imposed siege on the Strip, which affects everyone, with no exception.

Stop neglecting us

"I beg and plead with the government of Israel led by Benjamin Netanyahu, please stop neglecting us and take us back to our homes," Gat asked.

Gat also told settlers not to "compromise" and not to allow anyone to "close the door to negotiations," which would have secured her release if they were successful.

The video ended with al-Qassam's straightforward message on the issue, which states that a prisoner exchange deal would lead to the captives' freedom while Israeli military pressure would lead to death and failure.

Thousands of settlers have been protesting since Sunday to demand that Netanyahu's government commit to a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian Resistance after Israeli security officials' worst fear became a reality on Sunday.

Officials had been warning Netanyahu that delaying a ceasefire would cost captives their lives. Three of the captives were reportedly scheduled to be released in the first stage of a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian Resistance, which Netanyahu's government itself proposed then backed out of after Hamas agreed to it in late May.

The document that steered negotiations to a dead end in late July was dubbed "The Bloody Document" by Israeli commentators and some of its details were revealed on Monday.