By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Islamic Jihad warns that Israeli airstrikes in Gaza endanger detainees during final preparations for their release under a ceasefire agreement.

The Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, issued a warning on Saturday that continued Israeli airstrikes in Gaza could jeopardize the lives of Israeli detainees held in the enclave.

In a statement, Abu Hamza, the military spokesman of the Palestinian group, called on the families of the detainees to demand an end to the Israeli bombardment, highlighting the risks posed during the final stages of preparations for their release as part of a prisoner exchange agreement.

🚨Saraya Al-Quds spokesman Abu Hamza:

The families of the enemy’s prisoners must demand that the zionist army halt the recent intense bombardment, as it may lead to the death of your sons while the resistance carries out the final field arrangements for their release + pic.twitter.com/E1veXdmFQl

— Dr. Zain Abbadi (@ZainAbbadi11) January 18, 2025

“The families of the enemy’s prisoners must demand that the Zionist army halt the recent intense bombardment, as it may lead to the death of your sons while the resistance carries out the final field arrangements for their release,” the statement said, adding:

“The intensity of the Zionist bombardment pushes us toward two possible outcomes: either the families of the zionist prisoners will receive their sons in coffins or at home. The choice in these final hours lies solely with the Zionist army”.

The warning comes just hours ahead of the anticipated implementation of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, set to begin at 8:30 a.m. local time (0630 GMT) on Sunday.

The three-phase ceasefire, announced by Qatar on Wednesday, aims to bring an end to over 15 months of deadly Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Ongoing Genocide

The ongoing Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has led to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. As the death toll among besieged and starved Palestinian civilians continues to rise daily, Israel is currently facing charges of genocide against Palestinians before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 46,899 Palestinians have been killed, and 110,725 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.

The toll is expected to rise further, with at least 11,000 people still unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes across Gaza.

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The war, which Palestinians call “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” began after a military operation carried out by Hamas on Israeli territory. Israel reports that 1,139 of its soldiers and civilians were killed during the initial attack on October 7. However, Israeli media have raised concerns that a significant number of Israeli casualties were caused by ‘friendly fire’ during the assault.

Human rights organizations, both Palestinian and international, have reported that the overwhelming majority of the casualties in Gaza are women and children. The ongoing violence has also exacerbated an acute famine, with thousands of children among the dead, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian disaster.

The war has displaced nearly two million people from their homes across Gaza, with the majority of the displaced forced into the already overcrowded southern region of the Strip. The population in Gaza remains trapped in the ongoing conflict, with little access to basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care. 

(The Palestine Chronicle)