From the Liveblog of
Monday, August 12, 2024
IDF says it has no intel to confirm or deny Hamas claims its guards killed, wounded Israeli hostages
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The IDF says it cannot confirm or deny claims made by the military wing of Hamas this evening that members of the terror group assigned to guard Israeli hostages killed and wounded captives.
The spokesman for the Al Qassam Brigades, Hudhaifa Kahlout — known by the nom de guerre Abu Obeida, claimed in a statement issued on Telegram that Hamas guards in two separate incidents killed a hostage and seriously wounded two others.
“At this stage, we do not have any intelligence that allows us to refute or confirm the claims of Hamas,” the IDF says.
“We are continuing to check and investigate the credibility of the statement, and will update as soon as possible with any information we have,” the IDF adds.
Abu Obeida said that “attempts are being made to save” the lives of the wounded hostages.
He also said that Israel is to blame for the incident and that a committee would be formed to investigate the circumstances.
At the beginning of the war, Abu Obeida threatened to execute Israeli hostages and release footage of the killings.
Israel has previously dismissed Hamas’s statements on the deaths of hostages as deplorable psychological warfare.
The Times of Israel Community.