Hamas gives orders to 'eliminate' hostages if Israel launches rescue mission

• Hamas vowed to "eliminate" its hostages if Israel tried to conduct another rescue mission, according to a statement obtained by Reuters.
• Israel rescued four hostages from Gaza's Nuseirat camp on June 9.
• Hamas instructed its operatives to "loosen" the living conditions of the captives in accordance with instructions issued after Israel's Nuseirat operation.

According to an internal statement seen by Reuters on Wednesday, Hamas claimed to have information that Israel planned to conduct a hostage rescue operation in Gaza, similar to the one carried out in Nuseirat camp in June. If such an action occurred, Hamas threatened to "neutralize" the captives.

On Nov. 22, Hamas instructed its operatives not to consider the potential consequences of following orders and placed Israel solely responsible for the hostages' fate.

According to a senior Hamas source who spoke to Reuters, the intelligence unit of the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades distributed a statement to its factions, but did not specify when an Israeli operation was anticipated to occur.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that pressure on Hamas was intensifying and this time "we will truly be able to make progress on a hostage deal." No immediate Israeli response was given to the statement.

On June 9, Israel's Nuseirat rescue operation resulted in the release of four hostages held by Hamas since October 2023. However, the operation also led to the deaths of more than 200 people, making it one of the deadliest Israeli assaults of the war.

The Hamas group instructed its operatives to "tighten" the living conditions of captives, in accordance with instructions given after the Nuseirat operation.

Hamas advised its operatives to promptly execute neutralization orders in response to any enemy action in a section titled "recommendations."

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led fighters attacked Israeli communities across the border, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of 250 hostages, prompting Israel to launch its campaign in Gaza.

Since the start of Israel's military campaign, over 44,500 Palestinians have been killed and many others have been injured, according to Palestinian sources. The offensive has left much of Gaza in ruins.