A top Hamas leader has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately starving Israeli hostages in Gaza after failing to kill them through airstrikes. The claim was made by Izzat al-Rishq, a senior member of the Hamas Political Bureau, in a statement on Sunday.

Al-Rishq said Netanyahu's "hunger and thirst policy" towards Gaza civilians is now harming the very Israeli hostages he claims to rescue. He blamed the Israeli government entirely for the hostages' poor conditions, describing them as victims of a brutal and failed military strategy.

According to Hamas, their fighters treat Israeli captives humanely. Al-Rishq said they share their limited food and water with the hostages, just like they do with Gaza residents suffering under the ongoing siege.

He reminded the world that during past prisoner swaps, Israeli captives were returned in good condition. However, he claimed that today's hostages show signs of starvation, weight loss, and extreme weakness, reflecting the broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Al-Rishq argued that Netanyahu's blockade and bombings not only punish Palestinians but also Israeli captives. "Since he couldn't kill them with bombs, he now tries to starve them," he said, calling the act inhumane and reckless.

Currently, Israel believes 50 of its citizens remain in Gaza, with around 20 possibly still alive. Meanwhile, over 10,800 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, many reportedly facing torture, hunger, and denial of medical care, as reported by human rights groups from both sides.

Source: https://trt.global/world/article/a3f31062fc92