The spokesperson for Hamas’s armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, said on Sunday that the fate of many of the remaining 136 Israeli hostages still in captivity has become unknown.
In his first televised appearance for several weeks, Abu Obeida said many of the hostages “may have been killed,” blaming their fate on Israel.
Hostages Square in Tel Aviv was the site of a 24-hour rally from Saturday through Sunday evening, and thousands of people gathered to mark the 100th day of the hostages’ ordeal. Israeli President Isaac Herzog was among the speakers at the event.
Liora Argamani, the mother of hostage Noa Argamani, said at the rally, “Noa has been held captive by Hamas for 100 days, and I don’t understand how it can be, how she is still there. I want to say thank you to the people of Israel, your help warms me my heart. Thank you, I love you very much. I hope I will be able to see her before my last day.”
He added, “Any talks before stopping the Israeli aggression are worthless.”
The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades has been told by “several parties in the resistance fronts that they will expand their strikes on the Israeli enemy in the coming days.”
Abu Obeida also accused Israel of lying regarding the ongoing state of the war, stating, “Our fighters return with shocking testimonies about the lack of faith among Israeli Occupation Force [IDF] soldiers and how they flee despite carrying weapons and equipment.
“The enemy’s announcements of imaginary achievements regarding rockets and tunnels are a subject of ridicule for us, and the day will come when we prove their falsehood.”
Fate of the remaining hostages
The fate of the remaining hostages in Gaza is unclear. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war after the October 7 Hamas attacks, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has also admitted to holding Israelis hostage. There are also reports that vigilante Gazans who crossed the border but not under Hamas’s control took further Israelis hostage.
The IDF noted last week that it might take months to get the hostages out, despite the military’s notable progress in achieving operational control over northern Gaza.
However, if Hamas is not even sure where the remaining hostages are, it may change Israel’s desire to negotiate with the terror group and come to some form of a ceasefire in return for a hostage deal.
Israel’s medical community, usually reluctant to consider such scenarios, has recently actively been preparing for the appalling possibility of several female hostages who were raped in captivity and subsequently become pregnant.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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