Hamas has once again reiterated that Israeli captives in Gaza will not be released through military escalation and pressure.
Hamas said Israel’s intensified attacks against civilians in Gaza are aimed at mounting pressure on the Palestinian resistance, as ceasefire negotiations are underway in the Egyptian capital Cairo. It added that Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet will not make any progress on the issue of captives without a prisoner exchange deal. The movement noted that the Israeli escalation is QUOTE-a-losing gamble at the expense of captives held in Gaza. Hamas stressed that the captives will only be released through a decision that Netanyahu refuses to make. Out of 251 captives originally held in Gaza,130 have been released by Hamas, while several others were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza.