Netanyahu Prefers Dead Israelis Than Give up Philadelphia Axis

The Hamas military wing Al-Qassam Brigades broadcast a video message holding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for the six prisoners killed in Gaza, after the Jewish occupation army announced that it had recovered the bodies of six detainees after they were found inside a tunnel in the Gaza Strip.

Al-Qassam acknowledged – at the beginning of the video – the prisoners killed had been alive and were supposed to be released as part of the first phase of the deal that was under discussion for months for a ceasefire in Gaza in return for the exchange of prisoners.

The Qassam stated in a message addressed to the Israeli people that “Netanyahu chose the Philadelphia axis at the expense of liberating your prisoners.” It quoted Netanyahu as saying: “If I were to give me a choice between Philadelphia and returning the kidnapped [prisoners], I would choose Philadelphia.”

Al-Qassam Brigades said that the six prisoners who were killed were supposed to be released in the first phase of the deal according to the Israeli media.

They said the return of the prisoners as bodies as a certainly not major achievement as the Israeli army claim. It askinged: “What kind of heroism is this? You are returning these detainees as bodies after you killed them intentionally.”

Al-Qassam Brigades concluded its video message by saying Netanyahu is creating dozens of Ron Arads.

On 23 April Brigades’ spokesman Abu Obeida said that “the Ron Arad scenario may be the most likely to be repeated with the enemy’s prisoners in Gaza,” stressing that “the so-called military pressure will only push us to stand firm in our positions and preserve the rights of our people…”

Earlier Sunday, the Israeli occupation army announced the recovery of the bodies of 6 detainees after they were found inside a tunnel in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, confirming their identities, while US President Joe Biden expressed his sadness over the death of one of them, Hersh Goldberg Polin, who holds American citizenship.

For its part, Hamas announced that the prisoners were killed in the ongoing Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip, and held the Netanyahu government and the US administration responsible for their deaths and the deaths of the prisoners who preceded them.

Last April, the Qassam Brigades published a video recording of the prisoner Polin in which he attacked the Netanyahu government and accused it of negligence and failure to work to release him and the rest of the detainees, according to JO24.

CrossFireArabia

CrossFireArabia

Dr. Marwan Asmar holds a PhD from Leeds University and is a freelance writer specializing on the Middle East. He has worked as a journalist since the early 1990s in Jordan and the Gulf countries, and been widely published, including at Albawaba, Gulf News, Al Ghad, World Press Review and others.

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The Army Radio explained that these acquaintances close to Trump informed Dermer that Netanyahu was manipulating the US president, stressing that what Trump hates most is being perceived as being manipulated.

The radio quoted an Israeli official as saying that Minister Dermer’s conversation with senior Republican officials, did not work because of his displayed arrogance.

This came hours after a report in the Israel Hayom newspaper asserting that the US president is “disappointed” with Netanyahu and intends to take “steps” in the Middle East “without waiting for him.”

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However, the Israel Hayom daily quoted an unnamed sources as saying that “there is a decline in the personal relations and mutual disappointment between Netanyahu and Trump.”

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Hamas congratulated Cardinal Robert Prevost on Thursday for being elected the new pope, urging him to follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis, who was a strong advocate for the Palestinian cause and condemned Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, was elected as the new pope by the Cardinals in a two-day conclave and will be the first American pontiff in history.

Hamas said in a statement it “extends its sincere congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his election as Head of the Catholic Church.”

“We wish him success in fulfilling his spiritual and humanitarian mission at a time when the world faces profound crises and tragedies—chief among them, the ongoing brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

“We highly value the principled and courageous humanitarian positions taken by the late Pope Francis, including his repeated expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people and his firm stance against the occupation and its repressive policies.”

“We look forward to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV continuing this ethical and moral path—standing with the oppressed, advocating for justice, and engaging actively within international forums to help end the crime of genocide and ethnic cleansing being perpetrated by the Israeli occupation against children, women, and unarmed civilians in Gaza.”

“We also call for action to halt the ongoing violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites throughout Palestine, and reaffirm the importance of upholding human dignity and religious sanctity everywhere.”

Pope Francis was a staunch advocate for Palestinians and kept in regular contact with Catholics in Gaza amid Israel’s assault. That included daily calls with the priest at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, the only Catholic church in the Palestinian enclave.

Upon his death, Francis also donated his so-called “popemobile” to Gaza to serve as a mobile children’s clinic.
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