A Hamas official on Monday suggested the group has adopted a new protocol that orders the execution of Israeli hostages in the event Israeli forces are closing in, saying the revised approach was adopted after a bloody Israeli rescue operation in June. The announcement comes after the discovery of six dead hostages over the weekend, and another six in late August — all of whom were shot to death, according to the Israeli government. 

“We say to everyone clearly that after the Nuseirat incident, new instructions were issued to the Mujahideen assigned to guard the prisoners regarding dealing with them if the Occupation Army approached their place of detention,” said Hudhaifa Kahlout, a spokesman for Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades. His nom de guerre is Abu Obeida.  

A screen shot from a video released by Hamas on Monday announcing “new instructions” regarding what to do with hostages when the IDF is closing in

On June 8, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched a daylight raid in the central Gaza neighborhood of Nuseirat, rescuing four hostages taken from a music festival during the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion of southern Israel. According to Palestinian groups, more than 200 Palestinians were killed and 400 wounded as entire residential blocks were destroyed by IDF helicopters, tanks and soldiers. The IDF disputed the claimed casualty count, saying the Palestinian death toll was under 100. 

While giving no details of the revised policy, Obeida’s statement implies that Hamas has instructed guards to execute prisoners if their positions are in imminent jeopardy of being overtaken by IDF soldiers. Israel said that the six dead hostages found in a Rafah tunnel had been shot to death within perhaps one or two days of their discovery. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin on Monday told reporters the hostages where shot in the back of the head.

Echoing the sentiments of many Israelis, Obeida said Netanyahu is ultimately responsible for the hostages’ death: 

“Netanyahu and the occupation army alone bear full responsibility for the deaths of the prisoners. They deliberately obstructed any prisoner exchange deal for their own narrow interests, and furthermore, intentionally killed dozens of prisoners through direct airstrikes.” 

For months, massive protests in Israel have sought to pressure Netanyahu’s government into reaching a ceasefire deal with Hamas that includes the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the return of their hostages. Following the latest discovery of dead hostages, tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Sunday, chanting “Now! Now!”  

Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated tonight in Tel Aviv protesting the Netanyahu government’s steps that delay the Gaza hostage deal (video: Amir Turkle) pic.twitter.com/FI3d3i0KXQ

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) September 1, 2024

Hamas’ Obeida isn’t the only one accusing Netanyahu of prioritizing his own political interest over the lives of the hostages. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not want the hostages back,” wrote former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Haaretz last week.

Olmert accused Netanyahu of bowing to the pressures of his extremist cabinet members by seeking an all-out confrontation that includes not only Hamas, Yemen’s Houthis, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Shia militias in Syria and Iraq, but even Iran. “In the choice between what’s good for Israel and what’s good for Bibi – the result is known.” Olmert also suggested that Netanyahu is motivated by a desire to “blur the awful defeat of October 2023.” 

A new poll found that 69% of Israelis think Netanyahu should resign when new elections are held, against just 22% who think he should seek re-election. While she may have been making her statements under coercion, one of the recently discovered dead hostages, Eden Yerushalmi, condemned Netanyahu in a video released by Hamas on Monday:

“Benjamin Netanyahu and the government of Israel: Do what is necessary to release us now…The bombing here never stops and we are afraid for our lives. We are scared of dying here. 

Benjamin Netanyahu, you freed 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for [captured IDF soldier] Gilad Shalit [in 2011]. Now they are asking for less than a quarter of that number for each one of us. I am not able to comprehend…am I worth less? … I ask all the people of Israel to take to the streets and demonstrate…Everything that happened to us is because of failure of the State of Israel and its security forces on Oct. 7.”

“You freed 1000 prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit, now they are asking for less than a quarter of that number for each of us … am I worth less?” asks Israeli captive in Gaza Eden Yerushalmi in latest video published by the Qassam Brigades. pic.twitter.com/xHgQj3NXvS

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) September 2, 2024

The video and other communications release from Hamas on Monday featured a new slogan that underscores the new policy directing guards to execute hostages if IDF soldiers are closing in: “Military pressure = death and failure. Exchange deal = Freedom and life.” 

Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official also blamed Netanyahu for the latest six hostage deaths, which came less than two weeks after another six were found dead. “Netanyahu killed the six prisoners and he is determined to kill the remaining ones,” said Zuhri. “The Israelis should choose between Netanyahu or the deal.”