According to a statement from Hamas' military wing spokesperson, Abu Ubaida, two separate incidents involving al-Qassam fighters in Gaza have resulted in the death of one Israeli hostage and injuries to two others. Abu Ubaida revealed that in one incident, a fighter tragically shot and killed a male hostage under their guard, while in the other incident, two female hostages sustained injuries. Efforts are currently underway to save the lives of the injured female hostages.

The identities of the hostages have not been disclosed by al-Qassam, however, they attributed the actions to the "massacres and resulting reactions" from Israel. Abu Ubaida suggested that these actions might be in response to the recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, particularly highlighting an airstrike on a school which claimed the lives of more than 100 people, as confirmed by officials in Gaza. Abu Ubaida further stated that a committee has been formed to investigate the details, promising that they will be revealed at a later time.

This development marks the first acknowledgement since the terror attack that occurred on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the hostage-taking of over 240 people, that Hamas or any other militant groups have admitted to killing or harming Israeli hostages. Tragically, the ongoing conflict has taken a heavy toll on the Palestinian population, with Gaza health officials reporting the deaths of approximately 40,000 Palestinians in the war that ensued after the October 7 attack.

In response to the incidents, the Israel Defense Forces spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, acknowledged awareness of the two incidents. Hagari stated, "At this stage, we do not have any intelligence confirmation that would allow us to either refute or verify Hamas's claims." He further added that an ongoing investigation is being conducted to verify the credibility of the message, promising to provide updates when further information becomes available.