EPATwo women stand in front of a wall with portraits of hostages
NOS Nieuws•gisteren, 22:27
Hamas says it is willing to release 70 hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Abu Ubaida, the leader of the militant branch of Hamas, speaks about this in an audio message on Hamas’s Telegram channel.
Ubaida, leader of the al-Qassam brigades, says in the message that he was in contact with mediators in Qatar last week. He told them that Hamas could release fifty to seventy women and children in exchange for a five-day ceasefire and the admission of humanitarian aid. In addition, Ubaida demands that Israel release “200 Palestinian children and 75 Palestinian women detained up to November 11.”
Because the hostages are being held by different “units” and there are “logistical problems”, the Hamas leader says that at least 50 hostages could be released and that number could rise to 70.
Bombings
Ubaida adds that Israel is endangering the lives of its own citizens through the many airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. He mentions the name of a female hostage who was killed in an airstrike. “She was captured alive and asked for her release, but a few days ago she was killed in an enemy bombardment.”
The Hamas leader also addressed the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. He said his fighters had managed to destroy “twenty enemy military vehicles” in the past 48 hours. “They will suffer even more damage.” He added that Israeli leaders have failed to defeat Hamas in the past and will not succeed this time either.
‘Hamas command center in hospital’
Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari says Israeli forces found a Hamas command center beneath Rantisi Hospital. That hospital was evacuated last Friday. Hagari himself is in Gaza City and shows the alleged Hamas hideout in a video. “We believe Hamas was holding hostages here.”
Israel has long said that Hamas fighters are hiding under buildings such as hospitals and schools. Until now, Israel had no evidence for this, but Hagari says he has with this discovery. “Hamas is hiding in hospitals. Today we will show that to the world.”
2023-11-13 21:27:26
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