The Palestinian militant group Hamas has warned that it will execute one of the hostages it captured during a surprise attack on southern Israel if the Israeli army carries out air strikes on the Gaza Strip without prior warning.
The Ezzedine al-Qassem Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, issued the threat in a statement on Monday, saying that Israel “doesn’t understand the language of humanity and ethics, so we’ll address them in the language that they understand.”
“Every targeting of our people without warning will be met with the execution of one of the civilian hostages,” the statement said.
Hamas militants infiltrated into several Israeli towns near the Gaza border on Friday, killing hundreds of people and taking about 100 hostages before retreating back to the enclave under the cover of thousands of rockets fired from Gaza.
Israel has responded with a massive aerial and ground offensive on Gaza, targeting Hamas’s military infrastructure and leadership. The Israeli military said it has killed more than 300 militants and destroyed dozens of rocket launchers and tunnels.
An Israeli military spokesman said on Monday that details of about 30 hostages have been given to their families, and that efforts are underway to secure their release. He also said that Israel will continue to strike Hamas targets in Gaza until it restores security and stability to its citizens.
The latest escalation of violence has raised international alarm and prompted calls for an immediate ceasefire. The United Nations Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the crisis.
AFP
