The spokesman of al-Qassam, which is the military wing of the Hamas resistance movement, said that the regime killed three of its captives on Friday night and preferred their deaths to their freedom from captivity, Palestinian media reported Abu Ubaida as saying on Saturday.
The Israeli regime has been behaving its captives in such a criminal way, and aims to free itself from the pressure and consequences it is informed of, he added.
Following the statement by Abu Ubaida, families of some of the Israeli captives protested in Tel Aviv, renewing calls on the regime to reach an agreement with Hamas for the release of their loved ones.
Similar protests have been held in the past weeks.
According to the Israeli regime, some 240 people were taken captive by Hamas on October 7 when the Palestinian resistance movement launched its unprecedented Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.
It was earlier reported that, in an interview with Abu Ubaida, the military spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, has sparked a flurry of reactions. In the midst of the ongoing confrontation between the Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza, Abu Ubaida’s statements provide a rare glimpse into the unfolding subplots on the ground.
A Denial of Captive Liberation
Ubaida firmly rebutted the Israeli claims of freeing any captive held by Hamas in Gaza. He contended that if any captive was indeed liberated, it could have been an isolated event involving individual entities in Gaza, including its residents who are holding captives. This brings into spotlight the complexity of the narrative, where the lines blur between formal military actions and the activities of individual actors on the ground. The Israeli claims and the subsequent denial by Hamas highlight the high stakes informational warfare that accompanies the physical clashes.
Victories Claimed and Weapons Unveiled
Alongside this, Ubaida laid out a series of claimed victories against the Israeli forces. He boasted of the destruction of 22 military vehicles using Yasin anti-armor missiles. A new weapon, the ‘Storm Torpedo’, allegedly aimed at naval targets, was also unveiled. The claims paint a picture of a forceful resistance, though their veracity remains unverified.
Gaza: A Graveyard or a Battleground?
Ubaida’s rhetoric escalated as he declared Gaza a graveyard for the enemy, promising a bitter fate for Israeli soldiers and their political and military leadership. Behind this bravado, lies the harsh reality of a land and its people caught in a seemingly endless cycle of conflict. Each declaration of Gaza as a ‘graveyard’ only underscores the tragic toll the conflict takes on its residents.
A Call to Arms
Ubaida’s call to all ‘honorable soldiers and fighters’ to join the fight against the Israeli occupation is an echo of the collective sentiment of resistance, a testament to a struggle that transcends borders and nationalities. As the battle continues to rage since the military escalation began on October 7th, the call underscores the enduring spirit of defiance.
As each side continues to press its narrative, the truth remains shrouded in the fog of war. What remains clear, however, is the human cost of the conflict – lives lost, homes destroyed, and a ceaseless cycle of violence. As the world watches, the hope for a peaceful resolution seems distant, but it is a hope that must be relentlessly pursued nonetheless.
