Hamas denies group has lost control over field commanders in Gaza

Hamas denied on Sunday that the movement has lost control or contact with its field commanders in Gaza, a leading source within the movement told The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister publication, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

The source explained that there has been no communication with the field commanders responsible for securing the captives held in the Strip for around one month, and that the only way to ensure their safety amidst Israeli bombardment is for Israel to "meet the resistance’s conditions".

The lack of contact with the commanders in charge of the captives is due to strict security measures to ensure "the safety of the important negotiating card", the source explained.

Hamas’ refusal to provide any information about the conditions of captives is an effort to force the US administration to put pressure on mediators and agree on a ceasefire deal, they continued.

The source also noted that the US asked for video footage of American captives prior to the presidential elections, however Hamas refused due to the US not showing "any serious indication they were going to stop the aggression or reach an agreement to stop the war of extermination in the Strip".

They also reiterated that Hamas’ political leadership had not lost control over field commanders in Gaza, and that decisions are made in coordination between various leadership levels.

The comments come after Abu Obaida, the spokesperson for the military wing of Hamas, announced new instructions to prison guards on how to deal with captives if Israeli forces approach where they are held.

The instructions were given following the killing of six captives early in September, when the Israeli army said they had discovered their bodies in an underground tunnel complex in southern Gaza.

According to the source, the Qassam Brigades has also recently pledged allegiance to the new Hamas leadership, following Israel’s killing of the head of the group’s political bureau, Yahya Sinwar.

The report states that the Qassam Brigades military council is coordinating with other military wings, despite the intensity of war, siege on the north and heavy artillery fire and that battalions are strengthening by launching a new recruitment operation.

Hamas leadership again denied any responsibility for the failure of ceasefire talks, confirming that the details of the final round of negotiations are with Egyptian mediators, and they do not have them yet.

This comes as Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 43,799 Palestinians and wounded over 103,601 others since 7 October 2023. The war on the besieged enclave has levelled entire neighbourhoods and plunged the Strip into a deep humanitarian crisis.