Hamas Says Its Guards Killed One Israeli Hostage, Wounded Two Others

Hamas’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigade, said Monday that one Israeli hostage in Gaza was killed and two others were wounded in “two separate incidents” involving Hamas guards.

Abu Obeida, al-Qassam’s spokesman, said two Hamas recruits fatally shot one male hostage, and two females were wounded. Obeida said that “attempts are being made to save the lives” of the two women.

Obeida added that a committee was formed to investigate the shootings. He said Israel’s “massacres and the resulting reactions” were to blame for the incidents.

Israeli officials said they didn’t have the intelligence to confirm or deny the statement from Obeida. “At this stage, we do not have any intelligence that allows us to refute or confirm the claims of Hamas,” the Israeli Defense Forces said.

The statement is the first time Hamas has said that its guards killed an Israeli hostage inside Gaza. Many Israeli captives have died since being taken into the Strip by Hamas fighters on October 7, but they were likely killed by Israeli bombings or died due to shortages of food and medicine. At least three Israeli hostages were gunned down by Israeli forces while waving a white flag.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been under pressure from family members of hostages in Gaza to reach a deal with Hamas, but he has been working to sabotage the chances of an agreement.