Hamas has announced that it will execute the remaining Israeli hostages if Israeli troops are deployed to rescue them. This new threat from the group poses a serious challenge to ongoing peace negotiations in Gaza.
The group has reportedly revived an order for the execution of the captives if Israeli forces or their allies attempt to secure the release of the approximately 50 hostages still held in the Gaza Strip, as noted by Israeli sources.
According to sources from Hamas, shared with the London-based Arabic newspaper Ashak al-Ausat, this policy had been set aside after a brief ceasefire earlier in January. They further claimed that any Israeli military action to free the hostages would ultimately fail.
It’s estimated that about 20 of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza may still be alive.
This situation is unfolding as the US criticized terrorist groups for showing no real interest in negotiating with Israel, particularly after the latest ceasefire discussions in Qatar ended on Thursday.
President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, stated that alternative strategies for securing the hostages should be considered in light of the recent failed negotiations. Comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed this sentiment.
However, neither the US nor Israel has clarified what these alternative strategies might be. Trump suggested he would support military action to eradicate Hamas from Gaza.
“Hamas really didn’t want to make a deal,” he told reporters recently. “They want to die.”
In response, Hamas called Trump’s remarks “surprising,” especially since they came at a time when some negotiations seemed to be progressing.
In Tel Aviv, thousands protested outside the US embassy, urging for a ceasefire to facilitate the release of the remaining hostages and to bring an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Hamas had taken 251 hostages during its violent attack on October 7, 2023, with 148 released through negotiations.
The Israeli military has managed to rescue eight hostages alive during its operations.
A former hostage, Levy, now speaking out for others still held, expressed his fears: “Whenever talks break down, it’s the hostages who suffer the most.” He added a poignant note about his worries for the captives’ well-being, saying, “I really can’t understand how they continue in that situation.”
