Israelis obstructed release of 12 foreign captives: Abu Obeida
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Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas' military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, reveals that the Resistance wanted to release foreign captives but the effort was obstructed by "Israel".
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Palestinians look at buildings destroyed in the Israeli bombardment in the morgue in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)
Hamas wanted to release 12 foreign captives last week, but its efforts were obstructed by the Israeli occupation, the spokesperson for the movement's armed wing, Abu Obeida, said on Tuesday.
Abu Obeida revealed that Al-Qassam Brigades were prepared to release foreign captives, though the situation on the ground and the Israeli occupation were jeopardizing their lives and obstructing the release.
Abu Obaida announced on October 23 that Hamas released two Israeli captives for "compelling humanitarian and medical reasons" as a result of an Egyptian-Qatari mediation.
Al-Qassam said they planned to release two Israeli captives on "humanitarian grounds", but the Israeli occupation government declined the offer.
Egyptian media announced earlier the arrival of two Israeli female prisoners, Nurit Ishak, and Yohevid Efshitz, held by al-Qassam Brigades during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood at the Rafah border crossing.
The occupation "committed 8 violations of the procedures that were agreed upon on the day of the launch with the mediators."
This comes as Abu Obeida announced that the Brigades released two captive US citizens also on "humanitarian grounds".
On October 16, Abu Obeida estimated that there were approximately 200 to 250 captives or more, with 200 of them being held by al-Qassam Brigades. He also noted that the ruthless aggression on buildings and homes without prior warning has resulted in the death of 22 captives so far.
Abu Obeida revealed that the Resistance is holding captives of different nationalities, adding that there was no opportunity to verify their identities amid Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, vowing to keep them safe and treat them well, keeping in mind the indiscriminate Israeli strikes and shelling on Gaza.
As "Israel" refuses to take captives unconditionally, Israeli media said on Saturday that the official in charge of the Hamas captive file, Gal Hirsch, was dismissed when he arrived at a gathering for the families of the prisoners in "Tel Aviv".
The Israeli Kan channel said that this evening, the families of Israeli captives gathered in large numbers in various parts of "Israel", raising the slogan “Shame, shame” and demanding the release of the captives in the Gaza Strip.
In turn, the Israeli Channel 12 website reported that violent confrontations took place between relatives of the dead and captured Israelis while protesting in front of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in occupied Al-Quds.
The website stated that some demonstrators broke through the fence and stormed hundreds of meters from Netanyahu's house, and the occupation police summoned a water cannon to disperse the protestors.
A journalist in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Nir Hasson, described this demonstration as the largest since the beginning of the war.
