GAZA, (PIC)
Abu Obeida, spokesperson for Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades, has called on Islamic resistance in Lebanon to step up efforts to capture Israeli soldiers in order to secure the release of Palestinian and Arab prisoners held in Israeli jails, particularly following the approval of a controversial death penalty law for detainees.
In a statement posted on Telegram on Tuesday, Abu Obeida praised the fighters of the Islamic resistance in Lebanon for inflicting significant losses on Israeli forces, including a recent high-profile operation. He urged them to intensify efforts to capture Israeli soldiers as leverage for freeing prisoners.
He added that the history of Palestinian resistance has shown that armed struggle remains the most effective path to securing prisoners’ release, noting that Gaza has made significant sacrifices toward this goal.
Abu Obeida also called on Hezbollah fighters to continue their efforts, expressing confidence that prisoners would not be abandoned and that relief would eventually come.
He further condemned the Israeli escalation, including the approval of the death penalty law for prisoners, restrictions at Aqsa Mosque, and broader actions against Arab and Muslim populations. He called on all components of the Arab and Islamic world, as well as supporters globally, to take action, whether by holding Israel accountable or at least applying pressure to halt its actions.
On Monday, the Israeli Knesset approved a controversial bill allowing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners. The law permits executions by hanging, carried out by Israeli prison officials whose identities would remain confidential and legally protected.
The legislation allows courts to issue death sentences without requiring a request from prosecutors or unanimous judicial agreement, only a simple majority. It also applies to military courts handling Palestinian cases in the occupied West Bank, with the Israeli war minister granted the right to present opinions before the court.
According to Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations, more than 9,500 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons, including around 350 children and 73 women, where they face torture, starvation, and medical neglect, conditions that have led to the deaths of dozens of detainees.
