Israeli PM Says 6 Gaza Hostages Shot 'In The Back Of The Head'; Hamas Threatens To Return Captives 'Inside Coffins'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that six hostages, whose bodies were recovered from Gaza, were shot ‘in the back of the head’ by the Palestinian group Hamas.

The killing of the six hostages, announced by Israel on Sunday, has triggered an outpouring of grief in Israel and large-scale protests as well as anger at the government for not sealing a hostage deal that would have secured the hostages’ release.

Israel’s health ministry said on Sunday that the six hostages were shot at close range shortly before their bodies were recovered from the Gaza Strip. “These murderers executed six of our hostages, they shot them in the back of the head,” he said during a press conference, rejecting the notion that Israel should respond with “concessions” in Gaza ceasefire talks.

‘Inside coffins’

Hamas’s armed wing said on Monday that hostages would return to Israel “inside coffins” if military pressure continued, warning that “new instructions” had been given to the militants guarding the captives if Israeli troops approached. “(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s insistence on liberating the prisoners through military pressure instead of concluding a deal will mean that they will return to their families inside coffins,” Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, said in a statement.

“New instructions were issued to the mujahideen assigned to guard the prisoners regarding dealing with them if the occupation army approached their place of detention,” he said. As thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv on Monday for a second consecutive day of demonstrations criticising the government, Netanyahu sought forgiveness for not being able to save them but also appealed for unity.

‘We say yes, they say no’

The Israeli Prime Minister called on the international community to apply more pressure on Hamas to end the war triggered by the militants’ unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel. “We say yes, they say no all the time, but they also murdered these people and now we need maximum pressure on Hamas,” he said. “Hamas has to make the concessions.” Netanyahu also insisted on Monday that Israeli forces must retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border, which has emerged as a primary sticking point in talks mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

Hamas is demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from the area as part of the stalled talks. “The achievement of the war’s objectives goes through the Philadelphi Corridor,” Netanyahu said. “Control of the Philadelphi axis guarantees that the hostages will not be smuggled out of Gaza,” he added. “I will not give in to pressure.” Of 251 people taken hostage during the October 7 attack, 97 remain in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.

(With agency inputs)