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The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) - re-published a clip of Israeli prisoners who had announced the loss of contact with the group responsible for their detention. Al-Qassam announced in the clip that it would announce their fate tomorrow.
On December 23, Abu Ubaida, spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, suggested that five Israeli prisoners were likely killed as a result of the occupation’s ongoing raids on the Gaza Strip, after the brigades announced that they had lost contact with the group responsible for them.
Abu Ubaida's statement - at the time - added that among these prisoners were Haim Peri, Yoram Metzger, and Amiram Cooper, who appeared in a video clip broadcast by the Al-Qassam Brigades before that, demanding that their leaders not leave them in captivity and "not to grow old in it."
The march of the detainees’ families started from the Gaza Strip and is expected to arrive in Jerusalem the day after tomorrow (Saturday) (Getty)
Processions of prisoners' families
On the other hand, the march of families of Israelis detained in Gaza continues towards the city of Jerusalem.
The march began yesterday, Wednesday, from Re'im in the Gaza Strip.
The Prisoners' Families Association announced that hundreds of supporters joined the march today, which is expected to reach Jerusalem on Saturday and will conclude with a mass demonstration in conjunction with the weekly demonstrations demanding the liberation of prisoners.
This step comes in light of the continued movement of families of Israeli prisoners to pressure the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to conclude an immediate prisoner exchange deal. His government is also being subjected to criticism, especially after the occupation forces caused the death of a number of detainees.
Two similar marches took place from the Gaza Strip towards occupied Jerusalem last November and December, each of which lasted about 5 days.
Negotiations continue through regional mediation to conclude a new exchange deal and ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
The Israeli occupation army says that there are still about 130 Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip, while 30 of the detainees are believed to have died.
During the 7-day humanitarian truce between Hamas and Israel last November, the resistance released 105 civilians detained in its custody, including 81 Israelis, 23 Thais, and one Filipino, in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Source: Al Jazeera