Hamas's Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades Spokesman Abu Ubaida On Al-Jazeera: 'We Will Execute An Enemy Civilian Hostage For Every Attack Without Warning Against Our Peaceful People – And We Will Air Footage Of The Execution'

In an audio recording aired on October 9, 2023 on Al-Jazeera Network (Qatar), the spokesman of Hamas's Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades military wing Abu Ubaida said that every time Israel carries out a strike against "our peaceful people" without prior warning, Hamas will execute an enemy civilian hostage and air the footage of the execution. He said that Islam prescribes the protection of the lives of hostages and prisoners, but the Zionists are carrying out "crimes against our peaceful people" and this is the only language the "enemy" understands. It should be noted that in the October 7, 2023, during the Hamas invasion of southern Israel, Hamas kidnapped an estimated 150 prisoners, many of whom are civilian women, children, and elderly people.

Abu Ubaida: "This is an important announcement and a warning by the Al-Qassam Brigades. In the Martyr Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, we believe in the religious, military, and human values, which were expressed by our Chief of Staff (Mohammed Deif) in the speech that launched the Al-Aqsa Deluge [Flood] battle. We believe in the commandments of our religion, instructing us to protect the lives of hostages and prisoners. However, the Zionist crimes against our peaceful people, and the destruction of civilians' homes with their inhabitants inside, and the collective killing of women, children, and the elderly in their homes…

"Since our enemy does not understand the language of moral values and humanity, we will address it in the language it understands all too well.

"In the last few hours, we have felt pain, witnessing what happened to many families throughout the Gaza Strip – the fascist, Zionist, barbaric crime of bombing homes with their inhabitants inside. Therefore, we have decided to put an end to this.

"We declare that, from now on, any attack against our people in their homes, with no advance warning, will be met, sadly, will be met by the execution of one of the enemy's civilian hostages held by us.

"In addition, we will be forced to air footage [of the execution]. By announcing this decision, we let the whole world know that we lay the responsibility for this decision on the Zionist enemy and their leaders. The ball is in their court from now on. This warning absolves us of any responsibility."