A spokesperson for Hamas' armed wing said Monday that its forces have been operating under new orders on how to handle hostages if Israel's military closes in on their position, according to a report from Reuters.
The spokesperson, Abu Ubaida, did not provide details of what the orders entail but that the instructions were given to those tasked with guarding the hostages after Israel rescued four of its citizens taken in the Hamas attacks on October 7 from a Gazan refugee camp in June. Israel was accused of potentially committing war crimes during the rescue operation, which killed at least 274 Palestinians, according to Gazan health officials cited by the Associated Press.
"Let it be clear to everyone that, following the incident in Nuseirat, new instructions have been issued to the Mujahideen tasked with guarding the prisoners," Ubaida said in the statement, which was also reported on by the Jerusalem Post. "These instructions outline how to handle the situation if the occupation army approaches the location where the prisoners are being held."
The statement comes a day after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it recovered the bodies of six hostages—including an Israeli-American—from a tunnel in the southern Gazan city of Rafah. The deaths spiked labor strikes and protests across Israel on Monday as demonstrators put pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an immediate ceasefire deal that would bring home the remaining hostages.
Ubaida blamed Israel's government for the hostages' deaths, saying in his statement, "Netanyahu's insistence to free prisoners through military pressure, instead of sealing a deal means they will be returned to their families in shrouds. Their families must choose whether they want them dead or alive."
During a press conference Monday, Netanyahu dismissed calls to reach a ceasefire deal in light of the hostages' deaths and reiterated that the 11-month war in Gaza can only come to an end once Hamas is eradicated from Gaza.
"What message would it send Hamas...Slay hostages and you'll get concessions?" the Israeli leader told reporters.
President Joe Biden has worked for months to secure a ceasefire deal that would allow both a pause in fighting and the release of the remaining hostages in Hamas' control. The White House has faced pressure from some progressive lawmakers over its handling of the war in Gaza. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has been pressed by pro-Palestinian activists to consider an arms embargo on Israel if elected into office in November.
Gazan health officials say that over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its military response to the October 7 attacks. At least 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas attacks, and Israel has said that over 250 others were taken hostage. During a week-long ceasefire last November, 105 hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners under Israeli custody.
In a statement on Sunday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of the hostages in Gaza, blamed Netanyahu for failing to bring those being held captive by Hamas home safely.
"For 11 months the Israeli government led by Netanyahu failed to do what a government is expected to do—return its sons and daughters home," the statement read. "A deal for the return of the hostages has been on the table for over two months. If it weren't for the thwarting [of the deal], the excuses and the spins, the hostages whose deaths we learned of this morning would probably be alive."
Biden told reporters on Monday that Netanyahu was not doing enough to get a hostage deal and ceasefire reached.
Newsweek reached out to the IDF via email Monday afternoon for additional comment.
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