Hamas vows to 'neutralise' hostages if rescue attempted

Hamas says it has information that Israel intends to carry out a hostage rescue operation similar to one conducted in Gaza's Nuseirat camp in June and threatened to "neutralise" the captives if any such action took place, according to an internal statement seen by Reuters.

In the statement dated November 22, Hamas told its operatives not to consider what the repercussions of following the instructions might be and said it held Israel responsible for the fate of the hostages.

The statement, which a senior Hamas source told Reuters was circulated to its factions by the intelligence unit of the group's military wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, did not say when any Israeli operation was expected to take place.

There was no immediate Israeli response to the statement.

On Wednesday, Israeli media cited Defence Minister Israel Katz as saying pressure on Hamas was increasing and this time "we will really be able to advance a hostage deal".

During Israel's Nuseirat rescue operation on June 9, troops freed four hostages who had been held by Hamas since October 2023 in a raid Palestinian officials said killed more than 200 people, making it one of the bloodiest Israeli assaults of the war.

In the Hamas statement, the group told its operatives to "tighten" the living conditions of the captives and said this should be done in accordance with instructions issued after the Nuseirat operation.

In a section titled "recommendations," Hamas also instructed its operatives to "activate neutralisation orders ... as an immediate and swift response to any adventure by the enemy".

The Israeli military said on Wednesday it had retrieved the body of Itay Svirsky, who was taken hostage on October 7, 2023, and then killed in Hamas captivity, according to a statement from the Israeli military.

A statement from the Hostages' Families Forum, which represents families of those being held by Hamas, said that returning "Itay's body for proper burial in Israel provides crucial closure for his family".

A statement from the military said the family had been notified.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Svirsky's body had been retrieved in a special operation and he thanked Israeli security forces.

"Our hearts are torn over the heavy loss of the Svirsky family," Netanyahu said.

Israel launched its campaign in the Gaza Strip after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israeli communities across the border on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's military campaign has since killed more than 44,500 Palestinians and injured many others, according to Palestinians figures.

The offensive has reduced much of the Gaza Strip to rubble.

Israeli tanks pushed into northern parts of the Khan Younis area in the south of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Palestinian medics said further Israeli air strikes had killed at least 47 people across the enclave.

Residents said tanks advanced one day after the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders, saying there had been rocket launches by Palestinian militants from the area.

With shells crashing near residential areas, families left their homes and headed westward towards the nearby humanitarian-designated area of al-Mawasi.

Palestinian and United Nations officials say there are no safe areas left in Gaza and that most of its 2.3 million people have been displaced multiple times.