The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) was quick to cast doubt on the Israeli occupation army’s claims – today, Friday – that it had recovered the bodies of three prisoners who had been held in the Gaza Strip since the Al-Aqsa flood attack on October 7th.
In a post on Hamas’ account on the Telegram platform, Hamas leader Izzat al-Rishq said, “We confirm our lack of confidence in the occupation’s narrative, and we always say that the final say is what the resistance says.”
Al-Rishq added, “If the occupation’s claim is true about its access to the bodies of some of its prisoners held by the resistance in Gaza, after 8 months of aggression and genocidal war against our people, it is not considered an achievement for its Nazi government, but rather evidence of the weak performance of their terrified army, and confirms the sincerity of the resistance’s promise that the enemy will not “His captives will either be lifeless corpses or through an honorable exchange deal for our people and our resistance.”
He continued, “While we are skeptical about the occupation’s narrative, we confirm that this claim is nothing but an attempt to cover up its losses and its miserable failure in the face of the valor of the resistance and the bravery of the Al-Qassam men and the Al-Quds Brigades, in the Jabalia camp, the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood and east of the city of Rafah.”
Earlier today, occupation army spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a televised speech, “It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that Israeli army forces, Shin Bet (internal security) forces, and special forces, last night recovered the bodies of hostages Yitzhak Galranter, Shani Luke, and Amit Buskila.”
Hagari claimed that the three bodies belonged to Israelis who fled alive from the Nova Music Festival in one of the settlements adjacent to Gaza “during the October 7 attacks, but they were later killed after fleeing at the hands of Hamas gunmen.”
The occupation army spokesman, Avichai Adraee, confirmed to the Arab media that the three bodies – which he said were recovered from Gaza – were prisoners killed in the October 7 attacks, adding that their identities were identified through forensic diagnostics, and their families were informed of the matter.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the operation and reiterated his pledge to return all “hostages.” “We will return all our hostages, whether they are alive or dead,” he said.
Netanyahu said in a brief statement issued by his office in Arabic, “The heart is breaking due to the great loss. My wife, Sarah, and I grieve with their families, and all of our hearts are with them in their deep grief. We will return all those kidnapped.”
For its part, the Hostage Families Forum considered in a statement that the recovery of the three bodies is a “painful and harsh reminder of the necessity of returning our brothers and sisters from captivity.”
Amid a stifling Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip for 18 years, and Israel’s escalation of its violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque, Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, launched a surprise attack on military sites and settlements adjacent to the Strip on October 7, during which they captured at least 239 people, according to the report. Israeli media estimates.
These factions said at the time that their attack came with the aim of ending the unjust siege on Gaza, and thwarting Israel’s plans to liquidate the Palestinian cause and impose its sovereignty over Al-Aqsa Mosque.
While Israel recovered dozens of its prisoners in Gaza – through an exchange deal with the factions that included a temporary humanitarian truce that lasted 7 days and ended in early December – Hamas says that Tel Aviv killed 71 of its prisoners in a random air strike on the Strip.
The Israeli war on Gaza, which has been ongoing since October 7, 2023, has left more than 114,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and about 10,000 missing, amid massive destruction and famine that claimed the lives of children and the elderly.
Israel continues the war on Gaza despite the issuance of a resolution by the UN Security Council to stop the fighting immediately, and despite the International Court of Justice demanding immediate measures to prevent acts of genocide and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
