Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends
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Al-Qassam offers to let the Red Cross deliver aid to Israeli captives if "Israel" lifts the Gaza siege and halts air raids during package handovers.
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A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
The military wing of Hamas, al-Qassam Brigades, has announced its readiness to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regarding the delivery of food and medicine to Israeli captives held in Gaza, on the condition that humanitarian corridors into the besieged Strip are opened on a consistent and unrestricted basis.
In a statement on Sunday, Al-Qassam spokesperson Abu Obeida affirmed that the group is not intentionally starving Israeli captives, clarifying that they receive the same food available to Hamas fighters and the Palestinian population in Gaza.
“No prisoner will receive special privileges while our people are being starved and besieged,” Abu Obeida said, noting that approval for aid deliveries to the captives would also require a complete halt to Israeli aerial activity during aid drop-off times.
H2: Captive soldier’s video adds pressure on Israeli government
The statement comes shortly after al-Qassam Brigades released footage of Israeli captive Avitar David, who appeared severely weakened and criticized the Israeli regime for abandoning him and others held in Gaza.
The video sparked renewed debate among settlers in occupied Palestine over the government's handling of the war and its failure to negotiate a comprehensive prisoner exchange.
In response, David’s family released a statement calling for aid to reach both Gaza residents and their son, saying: “Humanitarian aid must reach the people of Gaza, and to Avitar as well.”
Israeli protesters block highway over captives
Dozens of demonstrators blocked traffic on the Ayalon Highway early Sunday, demanding the urgent release of captives held in Gaza after the Resistance published footage of two emaciated Israeli captives, drawing alarm and reigniting public pressure on the Israeli government.
The protest, organized by the Women’s Protest group and joined by relatives of previously released captives, unfolded on the Jewish day of mourning, Tisha B’Av. The symbolism was deliberate: banners read “Abandonment of the hostages = destruction of the Third Temple,” and chants of “Why are they still in Gaza?” echoed across the highway. Others carried signs in English, such as “Never again is now” and “Everyone in a deal. Get out of Gaza.”
Among the demonstrators were Shai Mozes and Meor Rosenberg, relatives of the returned captives Gadi Mozes and Arbel Yehoud. The protest lasted around 20 minutes, according to Haaretz, before police cleared the highway.
Emaciated Israeli captives
The anger comes after Hamas and Islamic Jihad released separate videos of captives Evyatar David and Rom Braslavsky, both visibly starved due to the Israeli blockade on Gaza. One video showed David digging his own grave, with bones protruding from his frame, an image that has sent shockwaves through Israeli society.
“This morning is the Ninth of Av, and the greatest destruction has only been getting deeper for 667 days,” said a statement from protesters, referencing the period since the October 7, 2023 attack that launched the war. They blamed Netanyahu's government for abandoning the captives, accusing officials of failing to secure their release through negotiations.
“It is impossible to breathe in the face of the pictures of Evyatar David and Rom Braslavsky,” the statement continued. “Bring everyone back, the living and the dead, and end the war already.”
Al-Qassam show starving Israeli captives
The al-Qassam Brigades released video footage on Thursday showing an Israeli captive emaciated and visibly suffering from starvation, as the Israeli occupation continues to block humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip.
Titled “The occupation government has decided to starve them,” the video portrays the deteriorating condition of the Israeli prisoner awaiting a potential exchange deal, juxtaposed with harrowing scenes of Palestinian children in Gaza enduring the same starvation policy. The footage underscores the shared consequences of the occupation’s siege policy, impacting both captives and civilians.
The video includes a past statement from Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, declaring: “What should be sent to Gaza are bombs,” highlighting the punitive mindset behind the occupation’s handling of the humanitarian crisis.
The clip concludes with the message: “They eat what we eat and drink what we drink,” signaling that the fate of Israeli captives is inextricably linked to the suffering of over two million Palestinians trapped under siege in Gaza.
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The occupying government has decided to starve them pic.twitter.com/VzEtlAFCb7
