The Islamist group Hamas today threatened to “publicly” execute Israeli civilian hostages if Israel continues indiscriminate bombing of the Gaza Strip without warning residents.
“Any attack on innocent homes in Gaza without prior warning and alert will be met with the public execution of a hostage,” Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Al Qasam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a statement. “The execution will be of civilian hostages, not military, and will be broadcast online,” he added.
Israel has been heavily shelling the entire enclave throughout the day, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad military facilities, but also civilian infrastructure and residential buildings.
The dead in the enclave exceed 560 and the injured more than 2,900, according to data from the Gaza Ministry of Health, but it is estimated that the number will rise in the coming hours because there are people trapped under the rubble of destroyed homes.
Palestinians in the strip denounced today that Israel has stopped using the method known as “knocks on the roof”, by which non-explosive devices are thrown onto the roofs of houses as a warning that they are going to bomb in a few minutes, so that the population can leave, often with just enough time.
“The enemy does not understand the language of humanity and morality, and we will address him in the language he knows. We hold the occupation responsible before the world for this decision, and the ball is in its court,” Obeida warned.
“From this hour on, we announce that every attack against our people will be responded to with the execution of one of our enemy hostages, and we will broadcast it live,” he said.
Israel declared itself in a state of war on Saturday, after Hamas launched a multiple attack, by land, sea and air, that caught the country by surprise, on an unprecedented scale, with the launch of rockets and ground incursions on Israeli soil. , where dozens of citizens have been killed and kidnapped.
In three days of war, the deaths in Israel exceed 800 and more than 2,500 injured by the Palestinian aggression, while on the other side, the heavy Israeli response bombings on Gaza have left more than 560 dead and 2,900 injured.