Former Hamas hostages warn of “tremendous” danger in Gaza tunnels

News

by Ronnie Reyes

Former Hamas hostages have warned the Israeli army of the “tremendous danger” hiding in Gaza’s 300-mile tunnel system – as they called for a new ceasefire agreement to free the remaining prisoners.

More than 100 hostages freed last month met with Israeli officials on Saturday night to discuss what they experienced in Gaza. According to reports from The Times of Israel.

One former hostage, whose name has not been publicly revealed, told Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Defense Minister Benny Gantz that their weeks in captivity were spent in fear that they would die any day.

“There is no time. Every day that passes is terrifying,” said the freed Israeli. “You have no idea what kind of monsters we are dealing with.”

The former hostage claimed that Hamas told them that the IDF would apply the notorious “Hannibal Directive” to civilians, a rescinded protocol that allegedly called for troops to prioritize killing terrorists even if it meant killing a kidnapped soldier.

“We were afraid when… [IDF] “The explosions were close,” the former hostage said. “They were so close that we begged them to take us to the tunnels [for safety]And at some point they did.

The person added that Israeli soldiers must avoid the tunnels at all costs, because Hamas will not hesitate to hide behind its hostages.

The released hostage warned: “Do not enter the tunnels.” “They are moving there in large numbers. It is a huge danger to the soldiers and hostages.”

With the continued danger facing those kidnapped on October 7, the former hostage said the Jewish state needs to do everything it can to release the more than 100 Israelis still held in Gaza.

Gallant and Gantz assured those present at the meeting, which included relatives of the prisoners, that liberating the hostages was their top priority.

“First, the hostages must be returned. We will have a lifetime to fight Hamas,” Gantz said.

The Minister of War added that the arrest of the supreme leader of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, would only be a symbolic victory and that the real battle would be the removal of his ideals from Gaza.

Hostage safety has become a hot topic especially after three Israeli hostages were accidentally killed by the Israeli army.

Yotam Haim, Samer Talalqa, and Alon Shamrez were shot dead when they were mistakenly “targeted” in Shejaiya by Israeli soldiers.

The three hostages are believed to have “escaped or been abandoned by the terrorists who captured them,” according to the Israeli army.

Shamrez (26 years old) was buried on Sunday in a funeral that witnessed hundreds gathering in a cemetery in Sheviim. It is unclear whether any government official attended the funeral.

Since the hostages were killed, Netanyahu appeared to indicate on Saturday that a new round of negotiations is underway with Hamas and Qatar to release those still held in Gaza.

It was reported on Saturday that the head of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad was meeting with Qatari officials to discuss a possible new hostage deal with Hamas.