The armed wing of Hamas has announced that it is willing to release 12 captives who hold foreign nationalities, but accused the Israeli occupation of obstructing the process. The Qassam Brigades said in a statement on its Telegram channel that “the situation on the ground” – referring to the ongoing Israeli air and land attacks on Gaza – “is what hinders this from being completed.”
The Qassam Brigades did not specify the nationalities of the 12 captives. It also did not mention the fate of the other 229 captives that the Israeli occupation said were taken by Hamas when it launched its surprise offensive on October 7. So far, only four captives have been freed – two Israelis and two Americans – in exchange for humanitarian aid and fuel deliveries to Gaza.
The Israeli occupation government has not commented on the Qassam Brigades’ statement, but has previously demanded the unconditional release of all captives as a prerequisite for any ceasefire talks. The Israeli occupation has also intensified its military campaign against Gaza’s civilian infrastructure. According to the Gaza health ministry, more than 10,300 Palestinians have been killed and over 25,500 wounded since the start of the war on Gaza.
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