Hamas insists no hostage releases without fuel, medicine for Gaza
A Hamas official warned on Tuesday that there would be no more hostage releases by the Islamist group unless medical supplies and fuel are allowed into the besieged Gaza Strip.
On Monday, two Israeli women held captive by Hamas were released from the Gaza Strip. Two U.S. nationals were released on Friday.
More than 220 hostages are being held in total.
“For humanitarian reasons, we have released four (hostages) without conditions,” Osama Hamdan, a Hamas politiburo member, and representative in Lebanon, told dpa.
“But if anyone seeks to have more releases, we have to insist that the international community exerts more pressure on Israel to open Rafah crossing to allow fuel and medical supplies to come inside Gaza,” he added.
Ms Hamdan, who is close to the hostage negotiations, stressed that it is a basic right of the Palestinian people to be allowed to have hospital treatment if they are subjected daily to Israeli air raids.
“The people in Gaza have the right to the minimum of humanitarian needs, which is to be able to be treated for the wounds Israel is inflicting on them” through airstrikes, he added.
“We need Israel to stop the raids on our people so we will be able to secure the release of people who were taken,” Mr Hamdan said.
At least 222 hostages were taken when attackers from the Islamist group, which controls Gaza, carried out a terrorist attack on Israeli communities on Oct. 7.
The attacks near the Gaza border killed over 1,400 people and left the country reeling in shock.
The subsequent Israeli air bombardment of Gaza has killed over 5,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry there.
These figures cannot be independently verified.
Hamas is designated as a terrorist organisation by the U.S. and the EU.
Since the attacks, the coastal Palestinian Territory, which has been ruled by Hamas since 2007, has been under a complete siege by Israel, with no food, water, or fuel entering the territory via Israel.
The only supplies reaching Gaza’s population of some 2.2 million people are arriving via aid trucks through the Rafah border from Egypt.
(dpa/NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Economy
Africa’s prosperity depends on value addition to raw materials, says RMRDC
Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, the director-general of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja.
Opinion
Eugene Itua: Lagos Flooding and the Coastal Highway: Separating facts from fiction
Nigeria needs better conversations about infrastructure. They should ask difficult questions, demand transparency, and insist on rigorous environmental standards.
States
NIPSS boss meets Gbong Gwom, apologises for Berom militia group comment
Mr Omotayo, who visited the paramount ruler tendered an apology for his recent comments on the Berom people.
States
Police say three alleged vandals nabbed, multimillion-naira rail tracks recovered
The police command in Oyo state arrested three suspects in connection with the vandalism and theft of railway tracks valued at N200 million.
States
Otti directs immediate implementation of NYSC allowances
Mr Otti gave the directive in his office on Tuesday while receiving the new NYSC coordinator, Yunusa Tanimu, in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South council area.
Anti-Corruption
I would have become Nigeria’s president now if I had been drug dealer, fraudster: Basketmouth
“If I had started a church business. Sorry. If I had joined evangelism. I would have been Daddy G.O. owning two private jets, one university,” stated Basketmouth.
