Hamas Declares Hostages Will Remain Captive Until Gaza 'Aggression' Ceases

Hamas has declared that Israeli hostages will not be released until Israel halts its military operations in Gaza and withdraws its forces from the besieged territory. Khalil Al-Hayya, deputy chief of Hamas in Gaza and the group’s chief negotiator, made the statement on Friday, as the conflict between Hamas and Israel continues to escalate.

The announcement comes after Hamas confirmed that its top leader, Yahya Sinwar, was killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Rafah on Wednesday. Sinwar’s death, which was confirmed by Hamas official Basem Naim and later verified by Israeli authorities, marked a significant blow to the group’s leadership. Despite this, Naim insisted that the group would emerge stronger.

“Hamas becomes stronger and more popular with each elimination of its leaders,” Naim said. He also downplayed Israel's efforts to dismantle the group by targeting its leadership, stating, "Israel seems to believe that killing our leaders means the end of our movement. They can believe what they want."

Israeli officials confirmed Sinwar’s death using dental and fingerprint records from his time in Israeli prisons before his release in 2011. His killing was the result of an unplanned operation, and there have been no indications that hostages were harmed during the mission.

Hamas, however, has used the ongoing Israeli offensive as leverage, with Al-Hayya making it clear that hostages will only be released once the "aggression" against Gaza stops. This standoff adds to the complexity of the conflict, as Israel continues its operations aimed at dismantling Hamas’s military infrastructure.

As the situation unfolds, both sides remain locked in a brutal war, with civilians and hostages caught in the middle.

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