Hostages to return 'in coffins' if Israel tries to free them by force: Hamas

DOHA, Qatar: Palestinian militant group Hamas warned on Wednesday that hostages may be killed if Israel attempts to retrieve them by force and air strikes continue in the Gaza Strip.

The group said in a statement that it was “doing everything possible to keep the occupation’s captives alive, but the random Zionist (Israeli) bombardment is endangering their lives”.

“Every time the occupation attempts to retrieve its captives by force, it ends up bringing them back in coffins,” it said.

Israel restarted intense air strikes across the densely populated Gaza Strip last week followed by ground operations, shattering the relative calm afforded by a January ceasefire with Hamas.

Since Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza, at least 830 Palestinians have been killed, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu warned on Wednesday that Israel would intensify its pressure on Hamas if the Palestinian militant group refused to release hostages still held in Gaza.

“The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release our hostages, the stronger the pressure we will exert,” Netanyahu told parliament. “I say this to my colleagues in the Knesset, and I say it to Hamas as well: This includes the seizure of territories, along with other measures I will not elaborate here,” he said.

The war was sparked by the militant group’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israel’s military offensive on Gaza has killed at least 50,183 people, mostly civilians, in the territory, according to the health ministry.