Hostages are being held in tunnels and resistance sites throughout the Gaza Strip Photo: AP/Hatem Ali
Hamas scatters dozens of Israeli hostages throughout the strip Gaza, seeking to keep Israel from launching a massive offensive on the Palestinian enclave.
Abu Obaida, the leader of Hamas's military wing, said hostages were placed in tunnels and other sites in the Gaza Strip. all parts of the Gaza Strip and that if attacked by Israel they would suffer the same fate as the Palestinians.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, has hinted that he will launch a massive air attack on the Gaza Strip and possibly a ground invasion in the near future, although as of Sunday afternoon this has not yet happened.
G- Obaida said: “We bring good news to our [Palestinian] prisoners and our people that the Al-Qassam Brigades are holding dozens of captured [Israeli] officers and soldiers in their hands.
“They are locked in safe places and resistance tunnels.”
“[They] are present in all directions in the Gaza Strip… what happens to the people of the Gaza Strip will happen to them, and beware of miscalculations.” , he added.
Palestinians transport a captured Israeli civilian from Kibbutz Kfar Azza Photo: AP/Hatem Ali
His comments suggest that Hamas hopes to dissuade Israel from a large-scale attack on the Gaza Strip and may want to negotiate a prisoner exchange in which Israeli hostages would be sent back in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners.
B In 2011, after lengthy negotiations, one Israeli soldier was released in exchange for more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners.
About 50 Israeli hostages were reportedly seized by Hamas in southern Israel on Saturday, with many of them dragged back into the strip Gaza.
Hamas claims the figure is much higher, suggesting they are holding more than 100 hostages.
A ground offensive against the Gaza Strip would be a large and complex Israeli military operation, perhaps similar in scale to Operation Protective Edge ” in 2014, which killed more than 2,000 Palestinians.
In 2011, one Israeli soldier was released in exchange for more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners. Photo: Anadolu/Hani Alshaer
Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group backed by Iran, has threatened to launch its own ground offensive into northern Israel if it carries out an invasion of Gaza.
Martin Indyk, former US ambassador to Israel , said Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu will likely be cautious in how he decides to attack. “The first thing to know is that he prides himself on being cautious when it comes to war.” . He is very careful not to start full-scale wars,” Mr. Indyk said.
“So I think his first preference would be to use the air force to try to inflict enough punishment on Hamas so that they would agree a ceasefire and then negotiations for the return of the hostages.”
”If that doesn't work, and I doubt it will, then he will have to look at other options.”
” If it doesn't work, and I doubt it will, then he'll have to look at other options.” p>
Recent Comments