Psychological terror: Islamic Jihad claims Israeli hostage tried to commit suicide

A spokesman for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group in Gaza claimed that an unnamed Israeli hostage being held by the group attempted to take his own life. This marks the latest instance of psychological warfare against Israel, leveraging the 100 remaining hostages in Gaza.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the second-largest terror group in Gaza, is believed to still be holding several hostages. The group released a rare video statement by its spokesman, “Abu Hamza,” claiming that their medics had saved the hostage’s life.

In July, the PIJ had already claimed that some hostages had tried to kill themselves after their captors began treating them according to how they claim Palestinian prisoners are being treated in Israel.

On Thursday, Abu Hamza said the unnamed hostage, about whom he revealed no further details, tried to take his own life “due to his mental state after the Netanyahu government set new conditions that led to the failure and delay of his release negotiations.”

The talks, which had been restarted with great optimism after the ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon took effect around one month ago, seemingly hit another impasse this week. Hamas leadership reportedly insists again on Israel committing to end the war permanently, while also claiming it is unable to produce a list of the hostages it currently holds.

The PIJ claimed that the hostage was initially scheduled for release in the first group under the ceasefire agreement. Following the incident, the group announced that it had further tightened its security procedures.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Israeli authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the alleged suicide attempt. In the past months, the PIJ and Hamas have released several videos and statements taunting the hostages’ families about their fates, at times making claims that later turned out to be false.

Hamas has stated again that the talks reached a dead end due to new Israeli demands and the alleged “escalation of aggressions” in the Gaza Strip.

“Hamas is ready to reach an agreement. Now the ball is in the hands of the Israeli side, if Israel retreats from the conditions they set,” a Hamas official told the Saudi Al-Sharq news channel.

Despite the impasse, the pro-Qatari al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper reported that Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzook continues to signal optimism, while a delegation of senior Hamas officials was scheduled to travel to Cairo, Egypt; Doha, Qatar; and Ankara, Turkey, to discuss the latest developments with mediators.

Hamas spokesman Jihad Taha told the newspaper that, at the moment, the talks aimed to overcome the new obstacles Israel recently imposed. He also said he hoped the negotiations would secure a deal..

During the meeting of the Hamas delegation with Egyptian negotiator Gen. Ahmad Abd al-Khaleq on Thursday, the parties reportedly discussed postponing disputed points until after the first phase of the deal, in the hopes of being able to reach an agreement before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20.

However, Hamas reportedly still aims for an agreement that would include “everything for everything.”

This would mean the release of all the Israeli hostages in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners currently being detained in Israeli prisons, the full withdrawal of Israeli troops, a commitment to end the war, and significant humanitarian aid – while Hamas would stay in power in the Gaza Strip.