The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, issued a grave warning to Israel on Wednesday evening as its military campaign in Gaza intensified, cautioning that the fate of Israeli captives hangs directly on the occupation’s escalating aggression.

In a brief but firm statement, the Brigades stressed that the more the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) expand their “criminal operations” in Gaza, the greater the danger faced by Israeli prisoners held across the Strip. The group called on Israel to immediately halt its offensive and withdraw.

The warning came as Israeli troops pushed deeper into Gaza’s most crowded neighborhoods, triggering fresh bloodshed among civilians already enduring months of bombardment. The timing is striking: Israel escalated its attacks just one day after a landmark decision at the United Nations, where world leaders formally recognized the State of Palestine. While hailed globally as a historic breakthrough, the move has done little to stem Israel’s military campaign, firmly rejected by Tel Aviv and Washington.

Earlier in the week, the Qassam Brigades circulated what it described as a “farewell image” of Israeli captives at the onset of Israel’s latest ground operations. In a Telegram post, issued in both Arabic and Hebrew, the group directly blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “stubbornness” and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir’s “compliance” for placing prisoners in greater jeopardy.

“The fate of the captives is tied to the path of Israeli aggression,” the message warned, signaling that responsibility for their safety lies squarely with Israel’s leadership.

Qassam fighters emphasized that the battle for Gaza City is evolving into a grinding war of attrition, one that will cost Israel heavily in soldiers, equipment, and captives. The statement noted that Israeli prisoners are dispersed across multiple neighborhoods, making them increasingly vulnerable should the IOF press deeper into urban combat zones.

The warning underscores a growing reality: the longer Israel pursues its campaign of destruction inside Gaza, the higher the risks it faces on multiple fronts, from rising military losses to the uncertain fate of its own citizens held by the resistance. (ILKHA)