DayofPal– The Al-Qassam Brigades announced its willingness to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to deliver food and medical supplies to Israeli soldiers held captive in Gaza.
However, the bridges emphasized that such humanitarian access would only be granted if Israel halts its blockade and aerial attacks and allows unrestricted humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.
In a statement released on Sunday, Al-Qassam said it is “prepared to respond positively” to any Red Cross request regarding aid for Israeli prisoners of war. Still, it tied this readiness to a necessary condition: Israel must stop “starving Gaza” and cease military operations that hinder aid delivery.
“We do not deliberately starve the prisoners,” the group said. “They eat what our fighters and our people eat. They will not receive special treatment while our own people are dying of hunger under siege.”
The statement follows the release of a video by Al-Qassam’s military media unit, titled “The Israeli Government Decided to Starve Them.”
The footage showed an Israeli soldier in apparent critical condition, emaciated, barely able to move or speak. Al-Qassam said the soldier was scheduled for release in a delayed prisoner exchange, and pointed to his condition as a direct result of Israeli policies that have blocked aid into Gaza.
The video, subtitled in Arabic, Hebrew, and English, juxtaposed the soldier’s frail image with harrowing scenes of Palestinian children suffering from severe malnutrition.
Infants with skeletal frames were shown in hospitals, some motionless, others too weak to cry. The message was pointed that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is not accidental, it is policy.
The footage also featured remarks from top Israeli officials. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was recorded saying, “What Gaza needs now is bombs,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quoted stating, “We will allow only the bare minimum of aid.”
In response to the video, Netanyahu held a phone conversation with Julien Lerisson, the head of the ICRC’s regional mission, urging immediate Red Cross intervention to deliver aid to the Israeli prisoners.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu expressed “grave concern” for the captives’ condition and demanded swift humanitarian access.
But Al-Qassam rejected what it described as “late and hypocritical” concern. “For nearly ten months, Israel has imposed a policy of starvation across Gaza,” the group said. “Now, when the effects of that policy are reflected back on their own soldiers, they suddenly appeal to humanitarian norms.”
Humanitarian agencies, including multiple UN bodies, have confirmed that famine conditions are worsening, particularly in northern Gaza. Aid convoys continue to face restrictions, aerial bombardment, and bureaucratic delays at Israeli-controlled crossings.
The condition of Israeli prisoners has become a key point in the stalled ceasefire negotiations. Hamas has stated it is open to a deal that includes their release, but only under conditions that include a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Israel has so far rejected those terms, continuing its military campaign across the territory, including deadly bombardments in Rafah and central Gaza in recent days.
Human rights organizations and international observers have warned of a genocide, citing mass displacement, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and the ongoing famine.
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