Hamas armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades declared on Monday night that “the health of one of its Israeli prisoners has deteriorated.”
Spokesman for Al-Qassam Brigades Abu Obeida affirmed in a short tweet that the health of one of the Israeli captives has deteriorated.
The tweet did not give further details but said proof would be published in the coming hours.
In a statement the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office neither confirmed nor disputed the claims. Instead it held “Hamas accountable for the state of the captured civilians.”
“The State of Israel will continue its efforts mediated by Egypt to bring the captives and the missing back home” the office said.
Israeli military correspondents who are regularly briefed off-the-record by senior Israeli officials reported that the announcement was “psychological warfare.”
“This is a provocation by Hamas on the eighth anniversary of Operation Protective Edge. We do not recognize any change in their health” one official told the Kan Public Broadcaster referring to the Israeli aggression on Gaza in 2014.
Israel believes that the Palestinian resistance holds the remains of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin two soldiers that were killed in 2014 Gaza military offensive as well as two civilians who are believed to be alive Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
In 2016 Al-Qassam Brigades announced for the first time that it keeps four Israeli soldiers in its captivity without specifying their conditions.
