Israeli media confirms Al-Qassam’s statement about Israeli prisoners: “Lives could have been saved”
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Israeli media have confirmed reports by Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, regarding the fate of Israeli prisoners in Gaza. According to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, four of the six prisoners whose bodies were retrieved from Gaza on Sunday were supposed to be released in the first phase of a long-awaited prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.
A member of the Israeli negotiation team admitted that these prisoners could have been returned alive through an initial exchange if the deal had been finalized. “The opportunity to save them is now lost,” the official stated, highlighting the missed chance for a peaceful resolution.
Al-Qassam released a video message on Sunday, confirming that the prisoners, who were found dead, were indeed alive and were intended to be part of the first phase of the prisoner exchange deal. This deal has been under negotiation for months, aimed at establishing a ceasefire in Gaza and securing a mutual prisoner exchange.
In the video, Al-Qassam placed the blame for the prisoners’ deaths squarely on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The message addressed the Israeli public directly, stating that Netanyahu prioritizes military strategies over the lives of the prisoners. “Netanyahu chose the Philadelphia corridor over the liberation of your captives,” the message stated, challenging the Israeli government’s narrative that the recovery of the prisoners’ bodies was a significant achievement. “What kind of heroism is this? You retrieve them as corpses after deliberately killing them.”
The revelation has sparked widespread criticism and calls for strikes within Israel, as anger mounts against Netanyahu’s government. The Israeli military’s announcement that the bodies of six captives were found in a tunnel in Gaza has further fueled discontent. Some of Netanyahu’s opponents have accused him of intentionally delaying the prisoner exchange deal, suggesting he would rather let all captives die than negotiate their release.
