Hamas captured about 210 people in its deadly attack in southern Israel on October 7 and is holding them at unknown locations in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas said it offered to release two Israelis captured during its deadly attack, but the Israeli government refused to take them. Israel called the claim “mendacious propaganda.”
Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, said mediator Qatar was informed of the group’s intention to release the Israelis on Friday, the same day it released American Judith Tai Ranaan and her daughter Natalie were released.
“We informed our Qatari brothers last night that we would release Nourit Yitshaq and Yokhefed Lifshitz on humanitarian grounds without expecting anything in return. However, the Israeli occupation government refused to accept them,” Obeida said on Telegram on Saturday.
Hamas captured about 210 people in its deadly attack in southern Israel on October 7 and is holding them at unknown locations in the Gaza Strip.
In a brief statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said: “We will not rely on false propaganda from Hamas. “We will continue to do our best to return all abducted and missing people home.”
Qatar, which helped broker Friday’s release, had no immediate comment.
In a later statement, Obeida said Hamas was still ready to release the two people on Sunday “using the same procedures” as it released the Americans.
“Refused to take her”
Hamas spokesman Khaled al-Qaddoumi told Al Jazeera that the Israeli government was “not serious” about releasing the prisoners.
“We have offered to extradite the prisoners, who are in a serious humanitarian condition, solely on humanitarian grounds. We wanted to hand them over to their families, but the government is not serious about it. Unfortunately, the Israeli government refused to accept them.”
Al-Qaddoumi said Israel had given no reason not to accept the offer.
Those held by Hamas include women, children, the elderly, people from other countries – who have campaigned for their release – and Israeli soldiers.
Akiva Eldar, an Israeli political analyst, author and journalist, said that if Hamas wanted to release hostages, it could hand them over to groups such as the International Committee of the Red Cross or allow them to cross to Egypt.
“If it’s not part of a quid pro quo or something that Israel has to give in return, then it’s quite simple – like they allowed the two American citizens to cross the border with the assistance of the Red Cross,” he noted.
“Very soon” the hostages will be free
A Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday’s release of the American hostages came after “many days of continuous communication with all parties.”
Majed al-Ansari, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag that Qatar was confident that all prisoners would be released soon.
“I can’t promise you that this will happen today or tomorrow or the day after. But we are taking a path that will very soon lead to the release of the hostages, especially civilians,” al-Ansari said.
“We are currently working on an agreement under which all civilian hostages will initially be released.”
Hamas’ multi-pronged attack on Israel, dubbed “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and injured about 3,500 others on October 7.
Israel responded with intense airstrikes on Gaza, destroying once densely populated neighborhoods and imposing a total blockade on the enclave. Almost 4,400 people were killed and 13,500 injured in Gaza in two weeks of fighting.
As troops gather at the Gaza barrier, Israel has threatened a ground invasion to “destroy Hamas.”