Hamas says open to requests from Red Cross to deliver food to captives
The spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, says in a statement that the group is “ready to act positively and respond to any request from the Red Cross to deliver food and medicine to enemy prisoners”.
This comes after videos of two Israeli captives were released this week by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, showing them emaciated and talking about their lack of enough to eat, prompting calls from Israeli leaders for intervention.
The spokesman, known as Abu Obeida, said that in order for requests to aid captives to be accepted, “humanitarian corridors must be opened in a normal and permanent manner for the passage of food and medicine to all our people in all areas of the Gaza Strip, and the enemy’s aerial sorties of all forms must cease during the receipt of packages for the prisoners”.
He added that the Qassam Brigades is not intentionally starving the captives it holds, but gives them the same amount of food as is eaten by its fighters.
Israeli energy minister: There is no genocide in Gaza
Eli Cohen has taken to X to claim that anyone in Israel who says the country is committing genocide in Gaza is “blatantly lying, distorting reality, and spitting in the faces of our heroic soldiers who are doing sacred work”.
In 2024, a UN committee’s report found that Israel’s methods of warfare in Gaza were “consistent with genocide“, and the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for PM Netanyahu and then-Defence Minister Gallant for “war crimes” committed in Gaza.
“We must not surrender to Hamas”, Israel’s Energy Minister Cohen continued, saying this is the only way Israelis can live without fear.
Netanyahu claims captive videos show Hamas does not want a deal
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has released a video message in Hebrew saying the videos of emaciated captives held in Gaza show Hamas is not interested in a ceasefire agreement.
“I understand exactly what Hamas wants. It doesn’t want a deal. It wants to break us through these horrific videos, through the false horror propaganda it spreads around the world,” he said.
“But we will not break. I am filled with even stronger determination to free our kidnapped sons, to eliminate Hamas, and to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to the state of Israel.”
Netanyahu claimed that Hamas captors have “thick, fleshy arms” and they are starving the captives “just as the Nazis starved the Jews”.
Israel organises UNSC meeting over captives as it hosts US officials
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold a special session on Tuesday to discuss captives held in Gaza after a request by Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, his office is reported as saying by Israeli media.
The move comes as Israel has demanded global condemnation over the videos of captives released by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and as Saar hosted a US congressional delegation headed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican.
Honored to meet a congressional delegation headed by @SpeakerJohnson, a true friend of Israel, in our eternal capital Jerusalem. We discussed the alarming global wave of antisemitism, including efforts by countries like Ireland to delegitimize Israel. I also described the… pic.twitter.com/Tt7qtCv3No
— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) August 3, 2025
The world doesn't believe your lies anymore.
