Hamas conducts ‘internal review’ of events surrounding soldier’s capture

Hamas’s military wing Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades publishes a press statement in English on its Arabic-language website detailing its version of events surrounding Friday’s morning attack that shattered a US- and UN-brokered ceasefire that was supposed to hold for 72 hours. In the attack, two Israeli soldiers were killed and one was captured.

Hamas insists that it did not break the ceasefire and that the attack occurred at 7:00am, an hour before the ceasefire was to go into effect. Israel says the attack happened at 9:30am, an hour and half into the ceasefire.

The statement says that an “internal review” was conducted that “affirms” that “Zionist Enemy Forces used the talks about a humanitarian ceasefire to advance troops more than two kilometers inside the Gaze [sic] Strip to the east of Rafah. Our assessment is that one of our deployed ambushes clashed with the advancing troops.”

Hamas also insists that it has no knowledge about the kidnapping or the whereabouts of IDF soldier 2nd-Lt. Hadar Goldin, who is feared captured by gunmen, and says that he was probably killed in the clashes that ensued with Israeli forces.

“We lost contact with the troops deployed in the ambush, and assess that these troops were probably killed by enemy bombardment, including the solider [sic] said to be missing, presuming that our troops took him prisoner during the clash.”

“Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades has no information till this moment about the missing soldier, his place, or the circumstances of his disappearance,” the statement reads.

A Hamas spokesman initially confirmed the capture Friday morning but the group has since closed ranks and backtracked on any statements taking responsibility.

The UN, the US, Canada and Britain have condemned the abduction and have called for the soldier’s immediate release.