Hamas: Israeli Detainees Injured in Strikes Against Gaza Last Year

Arab World

February 6th, 9:31am

Ramallah - Asharq Al-Awsat

Flame and smoke are seen during an Israeli air strike in Gaza City (file photo: Reuters)

Hamas movement's armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, revealed Wednesday that Israeli soldiers detained since 2014 were injured during an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza Strip in May 2019. The group issued a statement revealing that the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip in May 2019, bombing civil and security buildings, had wounded several Israeli soldiers. Qassam Brigades’ spokesman Abu Obeida said: “We will not reveal their fate at this phase, and we promise our heroic prisoners that we will do everything we can to free them.” Abu Obeida criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for misleading the Israeli public when he freed an Israeli citizen imprisoned in Russia, while he leaves his soldiers behind since 2014. “In light of how Netanyahu defrauded the Israeli public with Naama Issachar's release, during a period when Israel left its captives in Gaza since 2014, without caring about their unknown fate. We confirm that the occupation government is lying.” The movement, in charge of the prisoners' issue, wants to pressure Israel through the families of captive soldiers. Many previous talks failed to make any progress to complete the exchange deal, given that Israel refuses to include Palestinians who were rearrested after their release. Hamas recently confirmed that all mediations have failed to ensure an exchange prisoner deal with Israel. The movement announced that countries such as Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Sweden, and Germany had interfered, but no progress had been made on this issue. There are 4 Israelis with Hamas in Gaza Strip including Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, who were captured by the movement in the war that broke out in the summer of 2014. Israel believes Shaul and Goldin are dead, however, Hamas does not provide any information about their fate. Also, Hamas detains Avera Mengistu, an Israeli of Ethiopian descent, and Hashim Badawi al-Sayyid, who is of Arab descent. Both crossed Gaza borders at two different times after the war. Families of the prisoners accuse the Israeli government of neglecting its duties and not working seriously to bring their sons back, but Netanyahu says that Israel is exerting all efforts to release all detainees.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2118091/hamas-israeli-detainees-injured-strikes-against-gaza-last-year