The terrorists of Hamas announced this Friday 1st on their Telegram channel the death of seven more hostages, allegedly “victims of Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip”. This brings the total number of hostages killed by the group to 70.
Among the dead hostages are: Chaim Gershon Peri79 years old, Yoram Itak Butcher80 years old, and Amiram Israel Cooper, 85 years old, all kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7th. Hamas promised to release the names of the remaining four later, although doubts remain about the accuracy of the information given the group's history of manipulating data as a psychological warfare strategy.
The Hamas statement “deplores” the loss of life, blames the Israeli bombings and accuses the Israeli leadership of sacrificing its own citizens to “get rid of these acts.”
With Ramadan fast approaching and ceasefire negotiations at a critical juncture, the fate of the hostages remains uncertain.
Qatar expressed optimism about ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, although no significant progress has been made so far.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed AlAnsari said during a press conference that while the country had not yet announced any tangible progress, the country remained “excited and optimistic” about mediation talks in Gaza.
AlAnsari emphasized that Qatar is working “hard” to ensure that the agreement drawn up in Paris is accepted by Israel and Hamas. The country has historically promoted dialogue between various Islamic factions in the Middle East and is home to Hamas leaders.
Luxury life for Hamas leaders, misery in Gaza
Hamas leaders live in Qatar, more specifically in the capital Doha, where they enjoy a life of luxury.
Some of the group's top names, such as Ismail Haniyeh, Khaled Mashal and Moussa Abu Marzuk, have estimated assets worth billions of dollars, mostly invested in the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. These funds come from international donations intended to help Gaza but ultimately supporting the group's elite.
Hamas is known for raising more than $1 billion through various illegal financial activities, making it one of the richest terrorist organizations in the world.
Although the majority of Gaza's population lives in poverty and insecurity and, in extreme cases, lacks even access to drinking water, Hamas leaders in Qatar maintain an opulent lifestyle, living in movie villas and traveling on private planes.