Hamas says any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah will ‘blow up’ hostage exchange talks
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Most Palestinians displaced by the war in Gaza are taking shelter in the southern city of Rafah.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
GAZA - Any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah on the Gaza border will “blow up” the hostage exchange negotiations, Hamas-run Aqsa Television channel quoted a senior Hamas leader as saying on Feb 11.
Hamas’s armed wing Al Qassam Brigades separately said on Feb 11 that Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip over the past 96 hours have killed two Israeli hostages and seriously injured eight.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it had ordered the military to develop a plan to evacuate Rafah
Most of the displaced have sought shelter in Rafah, on the border with Egypt.
However, after fruitless ceasefire talks, Mr Netanyahu this week said Israeli forces would fight on until “total victory”.
Israel’s military ordered civilians to flee south before previous assaults on Gaza’s cities.
But now there is no obvious place to go and aid agencies have said many people could die.
The war in Gaza began on Oct 7 when Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israeli towns
Israel responded with a massive bombardment and ground offensive in which more than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to medical authorities in the enclave.
During a week-long truce in late November, Hamas freed more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages in exchange for Israel releasing about 240 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
On Feb 6, Israel’s chief military spokesperson Rear-Admiral Daniel Hagari said 31 of the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were dead.
“We have informed 31 families that their captured loved ones are no longer among the living and that we have pronounced them dead,” he told a regular media briefing.
Israel has said 136 hostages are still being held in Gaza.
These would include the latest casualties announced by Al Qassem on Feb 11.
“Their conditions are becoming more dangerous in light of the inability to provide them with appropriate treatment. (Israel) bears full responsibility for the lives of those injured in light of their continued bombing,” a statement from the Al Qassam Brigades said, regarding the remaining hostages. REUTERS
