Hamas has released what it termed a “farewell picture” featuring 48 Israeli hostages, coinciding with Israel’s intensified assault on Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban centre.

The compilation, distributed online by the Qassam Brigades—Hamas’s armed wing—included images of both living and deceased captives, each captioned “Ron Arad,” alluding to the Israeli air force officer who vanished in Lebanon in 1986 after being handed over to Hezbollah by Amal forces. His unresolved fate serves as a symbolic reference in Hamas’s messaging.

Accompanying the image, Hamas issued a statement attributing responsibility to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has consistently rejected deals with Hamas, and to army chief Eyal Zamir, who has criticised the government’s offensive strategy. The group’s message declared the release of the photos as a final gesture before what it said would be the decisive battle for Gaza City.

Israeli intelligence assessments suggest that about 20 hostages may still be alive, though U.S. President Donald Trump hinted the actual number could be lower. Both leaders have reaffirmed commitments to retrieve the captives and dismantle Hamas militarily.

Hamas, however, continues to warn that Israeli bombardments endanger the hostages, claiming some have already died in airstrikes and stressing that captives are scattered across Gaza City’s neighbourhoods.

The timing of the release coincides with a wave of planned protests in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities, where families of hostages and demonstrators are demanding a negotiated settlement to secure the return of captives and prevent further bloodshed. The move also appears aimed at leveraging Israeli domestic pressure to stall the offensive.

This is not Hamas’s first release of provocative hostage imagery. Earlier in September, the group circulated footage of captives in poor condition, with one forced to dig his own grave.

These videos and photos have drawn harsh criticism from relatives, Israeli authorities, and foreign allies, including the United States, who condemned them as psychological warfare tactics targeting both the hostages’ families and wider Israeli society.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll in Gaza continues to rise sharply. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 65,208 people have been killed and 166,271 wounded since October 2023. Following Israel’s breach of a ceasefire on March 18, an additional 12,653 Palestinians have lost their lives, with 54,230 more reported injured. The figures underscore the devastating consequences of the conflict as Israel presses deeper into Gaza City.

Based On ANI Report