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Hamas chief on Israeli hostages: ‘Will not be released except…’
Israel-Hamas War: “Hostages will not be released except under the resistance's conditions", Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said.
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said that hostages who were abducted from Israel will only be freed from Gaza under conditions set by the group. In a televised address, Ismail Haniyeh said, “The enemy's prisoners will only be released on terms set by the resistance.”
The group has delivered its position to Qatar and Egypt which is based on "a complete cessation of the aggression" against the Palestinians, helping them and responding to their rightful demands, he said, adding, “Hostages will not be released except under the resistance's conditions.”
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This comes as the Gaza health ministry said 207 people had been killed in the past 24 hours, bringing the total recorded Palestinian death count to more than 22,000. Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said that the operations in the south around Khan Younis were focused on areas above the tunnel network. Hamas leaders are believed to be hiding in these tunnels, he said, explaining, “We are reaching them all ways. There already is engagement and there are hostages there too sadly. This will continue as high intensity efforts in the heart of Khan Younis.”
Israel earlier asserted that it will defend itself against genocide accusations filed by South Africa with the world court. Eylon Levy, an official in the Israeli prime minister’s office, accused South Africa of “giving political and legal cover” to Hamas’ attack saying as per Associated Press, “The state of Israel will appear before the International Court of Justice at the Hague to dispel South Africa’s absurd blood libel."
The Hamas leader also said that the group is open to the possibility of a single Palestinian administration to govern Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
"We have received numerous initiatives concerning the internal (Palestinian) situation and we are open to the idea of a national government for the West Bank and Gaza," he said as per AFP.
