Hamas Holds Israel Responsible for Hostage Deaths in Gaza Strip
CAIRO Arabtelegraph – Hamas holds Israel responsible for the deaths of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, Izzat al-Risheq, a member of the Palestinian movement’s political bureau, said on Sunday.
“The one who bears responsibility for the deaths of the hostages held by the resistance is the occupation [Israel], which insists on continuing the war of genocide,” al-Risheq said in a statement.
The Israeli military has released the names of six hostages whose bodies were found in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip. They include Russian citizen Alexander Lobanov and US citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin. They were captured by Hamas during the October 7 attack.
The Hamas official argued that hostages were dying in the enclave due to Israeli bombings. He urged US President Joe Biden to stop supporting Israel with money and weapons and pressure it into ceasing attacks on Gaza.
On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip, followed by an incursion. Hamas fighters opened fire on military and civilian targets, and captured more than 250 hostages. Israel estimates that 1,200 people were killed.
