[IsraelTimes] The Hamas terror group says it will not be moving living Israeli hostages out of areas in the Gaza Strip that the IDF has ordered to be evacuated in recent days.
The IDF has issued evacuation orders for the entire Rafah area, Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood and other areas in the Strip’s north.
“Half of the living Israeli prisoners are located in areas in which the Israeli occupation army has requested to be evacuated in recent days,” claims Hudhaifa Kahlout — known by the nom de guerre Abu Obeida — the spokesman for Hamas’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades.
“We have decided not to transfer these prisoners from these areas, and to keep them under strict security measures, which are extremely dangerous to their lives,” Abu Obeida says in his statement, which is issued in Arabic, Hebrew and English.
He says that “if the enemy is concerned about the lives of these prisoners, they must immediately negotiate their evacuation or release.”
“The Netanyahu government bears full responsibility for the lives of the prisoners. Had they been concerned about them, they would have adhered to the agreement signed in January. Most of them would probably be in their homes today,” Abu Obeida adds.
Hamas has previously said it would execute hostages if Israeli troops are seen approaching areas where they are being held. In August, Hamas murdered six hostages in Rafah as Israeli forces were operating nearby. 
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