Status: 22.12.2023, 12:35 p.m.
By: Lisa Mahnke
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No hostage release without a ceasefire, Hamas says. Israel continues to pursue offensive tactics. What are the chances for the hostages?
Gaza – Time is running out to free alive Hamas hostages in Israel's war. This was announced by the Hamas delegation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The demand: He should immediately stop the military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Some 242 people were taken hostage by Hamas on October 100. More than <> have since been freed, most of them through the Israel-Hamas deal during the seven-day ceasefire in late November.
No hostage release without ceasefire in Gaza
Hamas military spokesman Abu Obaida ruled out the possibility of freeing hostages through direct military operations, according to Newsweek. He also stated that with the continuation of the violence, no releases would be possible at all.
"It will continue until Hamas is destroyed, until victory," The Guardian quoted Netanyahu as saying. Abu Obaida accused Israel of killing hostages in the offensives. Last week, the Israeli army also admitted to killing three hostages because they were falsely identified as a threat. The background to the statement is the most intense attack by the Israeli army to date, which directly followed the ceasefire and the failed negotiations.
Hamas consults with Egypt
Ghazi Hamad, Hamas spokesman and senior leader, said on Thursday that a "top delegation" would be in Egypt to discuss Israeli aggression, possible solutions and the issue of humanitarian aid. In this context, he called the offensive by Israel an "Israeli genocidal war."
The family members of the hostages are suffering from intense pressure. They, too, want quick solutions. © afp / ALBERTO PIZZOLI
In this context, too, it was reaffirmed that no more hostages could be released without a ceasefire. Ghazi Hamad said Hamas was open to any initiative to end the aggression. Tal Heinrich, the spokesman for the Israeli prime minister, also hinted at openness. However, he also noted that the strong military pressure had created the conditions for the previous liberations.
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U.S. government criticizes Israeli army in Gaza
"Capitulate or die" – that was the conclusion of Netanyahu's press release on Wednesday. After Hamas is defeated, he wants to focus his forces on ensuring that militant groups can never threaten Israel again. Netanyahu's statements do not fit with the plans of Joe Biden's administration.
In this plan, the Palestinian Authority is to regain control of the Gaza Strip, despite its loss of popularity among the Palestinian population. Israel has not yet agreed. While Biden continues to support Israel militarily, civilian casualties are driving a wedge between the allies through Israel's offensives.