Hamas Warns It Could Kill All Hostages Unless Israel Meets Demands

A Hamas spokesman suggested on Sunday, December 10, that the terror organization could kill all of the presumed 137 hostages in its custody if Israel does not accede to its demands.

Abu Obeida, a familiar spokesman for Hamas who had not been seen for several weeks, released a video in which he made the threat clear. “Neither the fascist enemy and its arrogant leadership… nor its supporters… can take their prisoners alive without an exchange and negotiation and meeting the demands of the resistance,” he said.

The ultimatum came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that of the 137 hostages believed to still be in Hamas custody, 20 are dead. Further, it is not clear if Hamas would deliver on that threat. The hostages are the only leverage that Hamas has over Israel, and it uses them as human shields.

The Hamas leaders in exile — in luxurious accommodation in Doha, Qatar — would also likely want the hostages alive to ensure that Israel negotiates with them, rather than killing them (as it has promised to do, eventually).

Hamas has also tried to use the deaths of individual hostages to deter Israeli military action. In the latest example, it claimed that Sahar Baruch, 25, a hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri, had been killed in an Israeli rescue attempt. Israel said that Baruch was murdered by Hamas and that the rescue attempt killed several terrorists but found no hostages in the location that was raided. (BB / VFI News)

“God, we thank You for the release of the hostages over the last couple of weeks and we pray for the release of all remaining hostages as soon as possible. We pray for the families of the hostages who have passed and we ask that You comfort them and give them peace during this tormenting period.”

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