Hamas today unveiled what it described as a “parting image” of the 48 Israelis still in captivity inside Gaza, just as Israel’s ground forces were preparing to advance on Gaza City.
The picture displayed a grid of hostages’ faces, with each one labeled “Ron Arad.”
Arad was a pilot in the Israeli Air Force who disappeared during a 1986 mission in southern Lebanon. He was captured and is thought to have died long ago, though his official status remains that of missing.
In its propaganda, the terror organization placed the blame on Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu for refusing a last-minute cease-fire and prisoner deal, and on IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir for implementing Netanyahu’s orders to move on Gaza City despite his own reservations.
“Because of Netanyahu’s refusal, and Zamir’s capitulation, a parting image as the military operation in Gaza City begins,” was the statement appearing above the image.
Gaza City, the largest population center in the enclave, is widely seen as Hamas’ final stronghold.
Through the night, the Israeli Air Force struck 100 different targets across Gaza, hitting tunnels, structures, and other facilities the military said were in use by Hamas.
On Friday, the IDF cautioned that it was prepared to unleash “unprecedented force” in the upcoming battle for Gaza City. Military officials said they have already demolished as many as 20 towers in the city over the past two weeks, which they identified as Hamas bases of operation.
Civilians were again urged to evacuate, with Israel estimating that some 480,000 people have left Gaza City since the end of August.
Before the offensive began, about one million Palestinians were living in Gaza City.
According to the IDF, several Hamas commanders and other militants were killed in the most recent wave of strikes.
Hamas, sensing Israeli forces were about to encircle the city, issued its strongest threat yet on Thursday, declaring that by entering Gaza City, Israel had forfeited any hope of recovering its hostages, whether alive or dead.
Bassem Naim, a Hamas leader who survived an Israeli strike in Doha earlier this month, resurfaced for the first time Thursday in an interview with Qatari television.
“The operation in Gaza City will be met with fierce resistance, and the death and destruction that the enemy tries to bring to Gaza’s streets will befall its soldiers,” Naim said, as reported by the Times of Israel.
“Those who harm us during the operation in Gaza City will also harm the hostages, living and dead.”
Meanwhile, across Israel, massive protests erupted this evening against the government’s launch of the ground campaign.
Relatives of the hostages accused Netanyahu of sacrificing their family members for political advantage by prolonging the fighting instead of working toward a negotiated solution.
“The blood of our loved ones is, for him, nothing more than a political tool to cling to power,” they declared in a statement read outside Netanyahu’s Jerusalem residence. “As long as there is war, Netanyahu has a government.”
{Matzav.com}
Dear admin please feel totally free not to post! I won’t have anything against you for not posting since it’s mainly for you to see!
If Hamas would call you and offer you a hundred million dollars to post an ad for them I don’t think you would do it. So has it that you post for free what they want to advertise! And the same thing for all the hostage pictures and videos. I don’t know if you posted them. But I hope you didn’t! They make them say the hostages say words that they want you to hear in order for us to get damaged! Obviously what they’re advertising is what’s really bad for us! I don’t know you’re Heter! I’ll be dan lcaf zchus that up until now you were a shogeg.