GAZA (Xinhua) – The armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas says the health condition of a captive Zionist in Gaza has recently deteriorated.
Abu Obeida, the spokesman of Al-Qassam Brigades said in a short tweet that the health of one of their Zionist hostages has deteriorated.
The tweet did not give further details, but said evidence would be published in the coming hours.
On Monday night, Zionist prime minister’s office blamed Hamas for the state of the captured Zionists, saying “Israel will continue its efforts, mediated by Egypt, to bring home the captives and the missing, with responsibility and determination.”
A Zionist official told Israel Radio that Hamas’ announcement “appears to be an attempt to pressure Israel within the framework of negotiations for a prisoner swap deal.”
Israel believes that Hamas holds the remains of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, two soldiers that were killed in Gaza during the occupying regime’s military offensive in 2014, as well as two alleged civilians who are believed to be alive, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
In 2016, the military wing of Hamas announced for the first time that it keeps four Zionist troops in its captivity, without specifying their fate.
Hamas has sought to trade the prisoners in exchange for relief in the blockade on Gaza that the regime has imposed since 2007. The occupying regime maintains it will not lift the blockade until the prisoners are freed.