Hamas says it wants to ‘liberate all prisoners,’ claims to capture more Israelis today

Hamas wants to “liberate all Palestinian prisoners” from Israel and end Israeli “provocations” in the Bank and Jerusalem, particularly at Al-Aqsa Mosque, a spokesman for the terror group says.

Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua tells The Associated Press over the phone that Hamas terrorists are still fighting Israeli forces and had captured more Israelis on Monday morning.

“We are in an open battle to defend our people and the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he says. “This battle is linked to the liberation of all Palestinian prisoners and the cessation of this fascist government’s activities in Jerusalem.”

He says the group has captured “a large number of Israelis” in Gaza, without giving a specific figure. He says Hamas’s military wing, al-Qassam Brigades, will announce the figures later.