ALWAGHT- According to a high-ranking Hamas figure, Prime Minister Netanyahu is now resorting to starvation tactics in Gaza to kill Israeli captives, having failed to do so through aerial bombardments.
A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to kill Israeli captives in Gaza through starvation, after failing to do so via airstrikes. He said the Israeli government bears full responsibility for the hostages’ worsening condition, as they too are suffering from the same deprivation of food and water affecting the besieged population. Al-Rishq emphasized that Hamas treats the captives according to humanitarian and religious principles, sharing limited resources with them.
Al-Rishq noted that hostages previously released during temporary ceasefires were in good condition at the time but are now reportedly facing severe hunger and weakness due to Israel's blockade. The official criticized Netanyahu's refusal to extend past ceasefire agreements, stating that Israel instead escalated its bombardment of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of many captives. He condemned Netanyahu's policy of using hunger as a tool of punishment not only against Gaza’s residents but also against the Israeli hostages.
The statement comes amid ongoing international scrutiny of Israel’s war in Gaza, which began after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led Operation Al-Aqsa Storm. The war has killed over 60,800 Palestinians—mostly women and children—and injured nearly 150,000. Thousands remain buried under rubble. In response to the scale of the violence, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and a former defense minister, while the International Court of Justice is investigating Israel for genocide.
