Hamas: We Lost Contact with Groups Protecting the Prisoners and Their Fate is Unknown

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced that they have lost contact with groups responsible for protecting Israeli prisoners, indicating that their fate "remains unknown." A statement from Al-Qassam said: "We lost contact with several groups tasked with the protection of enemy prisoners, and the fate of the prisoners and captors remains unknown after losing contact." This statement comes amid thousands of demonstrators—including family members of more than 50 detainees—arriving at a major Israeli highway on Saturday, as part of a five-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. They called on the Israeli government to make greater efforts to rescue around 240 hostages held by Hamas and planned to gather outside the home of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later that same Saturday.