Hamas on Thursday warned that Israeli hostages held in Gaza will not survive if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza City.
“Your captives are dispersed across neighborhoods in Gaza City, and we will not safeguard their lives as long as Netanyahu has decided to kill them,” Al-Qassem Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, said in a statement. “The start of this criminal operation and its expansion means you will not receive a single hostage, neither alive nor dead, and their fate will be the same as Ron Arad’s.”
In a subsequent statement, Hamas declared it was preparing for battle: “Gaza will become a graveyard for your soldiers.”
Hamas’ remarks come amid escalating protests against Netanyahu and his government in Israel, with weekly demonstrations in Tel Aviv demanding an end to the war and the safe return of hostages.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Efi Defrin reassured the public on Thursday that the military knows the hostages’ locations and is committed to bringing them home safely. “We will do everything to avoid harming them,” he said.
The Israeli military launched its operation to seize control of Gaza City on August 11, targeting the Zeitoun neighborhood under the codename “Gideon’s Chariots 2.”
According to the IDF, an estimated 450,000 people remain in Gaza City, down from nearly one million before the offensive. With bombardments ongoing, many Palestinians continue fleeing south on foot or by boat.
On Thursday, the IDF reported dismantling a weapons storage facility in Gaza City containing explosives intended to target its troops.
⭕️ DISMANTLED: Weapons Storage Facility in Gaza City Containing Explosive Devices Intended To Target IDF Troops
Over the past day, IDF troops also eliminated terrorists and dismantled dozens of military targets, including observation posts and tunnel shafts in the areas of Khan…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 18, 2025
Israel estimates that 48 of its citizens remain captive in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive. Meanwhile, around 11,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, where rights groups have reported cases of torture, neglect, and deaths in custody.
