Al-Qaeda urges Hamas to release Israeli captives

An Al-Qaeda adviser has urged Hamas to release Israeli hostages held in Gaza, according to SITE, an American organization monitoring terror activities.

The online statement was made by Mustafa Hamid, also known as Abu Walid al-Masri. Hamid is the father-in-law of Saif al-Adel, who is believed to be the current leader of Al-Qaeda, SITE reported.

Hamid claimed that the focus on recovering Israeli hostages was overshadowing the plight of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. He praised Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, whom Israel announced it had killed.

Sinwar was identified as the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, which sparked the ongoing Gaza conflict. Hamid insisted that Hamas must “immediately” return the hostages and their bodies to avoid further consequences.

Hamas seized 251 hostages during the October 7 attacks. Since then, some have been found dead, and others were released during a brief ceasefire in December. Ninety-seven hostages remain in Hamas’s custody.

Hamid, close to Al-Qaeda leadership, highlighted that Palestinian prisoners received little attention from the media, negotiations, or demonstrations.

Despite Al-Qaeda’s influence, experts note that the group has minimal sway over Hamas, which Iran backs.

Hamas declared on Friday it would not release any hostages until the war in Gaza ends.

Analysts suggest that without a named successor to Sinwar, it may be challenging for Hamas to negotiate their release.

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