By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Abu Obeida, the military spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, issued a new statement on Friday. 

The statement, communicated through the group’s Telegram channel was dedicated to the issue of Israeli captives killed in the Israeli army bombardment and shelling of Gaza. 

This is the text of Abu Obeida’s  statement: 

“We previously announced that we had lost contact with our fighters who were guarding a number of the enemy’s prisoners in our sincere Strip, and we assumed that a number of prisoners had been killed as a result of the Zionist bombing.

“After examination and verification during the recent weeks, we have confirmed the martyrdom of a number of our fighters and the killing of 7 of the enemy’s prisoners in the Strip as a result of the Zionist bombing, including:

1- Chaim Gershon Peri  (חיים פרי)

2- Yoram Itak Metzger (יורם מצגר)

3- Amiram Israel Cooper (עמירם קופר)

“We will announce the names of the other four dead after confirming their identities.

“We confirm that the number of the enemy’s prisoners killed as a result of military operations by the enemy’s army in the Gaza Strip may exceed 70 prisoners. 

“We have always been keen to preserve the lives of the prisoners, but it has become clear that the enemy’s leadership deliberately kills its prisoners to rid itself of this issue.

“At the same time, we affirm that the price we will take for five living prisoners or ten is the same price we would have taken for all prisoners had they not been killed by the enemy’s bombing operations.” 

AL-QASSAM BRIGADES: Tomorrow we will inform you of the fate of 3 of our prisoners.

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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 29, 2024

‘Netanyahu Does Not Care’ 

Commenting on Abu Obeida’s remarks, top Hamas official, Mohammed Nazzal told Al-Jazeera that “Abu Obeida’s recent statements are proof that Netanyahu is not concerned about the lives of the Israeli prisoners in Gaza.” 

“Netanyahu aims to eliminate the issue of prisoners in Gaza,” he added. 

Nazzal also said that “Netanyahu does not want to stop the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.” 

Regarding a possible ceasefire, the Hamas official said that “there is no confirmed information yet about when an agreement regarding the prisoners will be reached.” 

(The Palestine Chronicle)