Gaza, September 21(HS): Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, has released what it described as a farewell picture of 48 Israeli captives held in Gaza, intensifying fears over their fate as Israeli forces press deeper into Gaza City.
The image montage, shared online on Saturday, displayed both living and deceased captives, each labeled “Ron Arad” — a symbolic reference to the Israeli Air Force officer who disappeared after being captured in Lebanon in 1986. Hamas accompanied the release with a pointed message blaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and military chief Eyal Zamir: “Because of Netanyahu’s intransigence and Zamir’s submission: A farewell picture at the start of the operation in Gaza City.”
The development comes amid fierce Israeli bombardment and ground advances. Israel claims its forces have demolished tunnel networks and booby-trapped sites, with Gaza health officials reporting at least 60 Palestinians killed in the latest strikes. Military sources estimated that as many as 20 high-rise towers have been destroyed in Gaza City in recent weeks, forcing more than 500,000 people to flee, though Hamas disputes the figures.
Hamas maintains that hostages are scattered across neighborhoods and exposed to the risk of ongoing Israeli bombing. The group has previously released videos of captives in deteriorating health, sparking outrage among families and international allies, who denounced the materials as psychological warfare.
The “farewell” picture emerged just ahead of planned mass protests in Tel Aviv demanding the government secure the return of hostages and halt the conflict. It also coincides with diplomatic turbulence, as ten nations, including Britain, Belgium, and Canada, are expected to formally recognise a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York.
As Israeli forces push through key Gaza neighborhoods, including Sheikh Radwan and Tel Al-Hawa, the humanitarian and political stakes continue to soar, with the fate of captives now at the center of a spiraling war.
—————
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
