A Hamas guard who killed an Israeli hostage on Monday acted 'in revenge' against instructions after he got news that his two children had been killed in an Israeli strike, the spokesperson for the group's armed al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida, said on Thursday.
The incident doesn't represent the group's ethics, he added.
"The (Hamas) soldier assigned as guard acted in a retaliatory manner against instructions after he received information that his two children were martyred in one of the massacres conducted by the enemy," Ubaida said on Telegram.
The timing of Hamas' revelation could be an attempt to increase pressure on Israel ahead of ceasefire talks in Doha.
Envoys from the United States, Israel, Qatar, and Egypt are meeting in Doha on Thursday in what is seen as a last-chance effort to reach a ceasefire deal that could see the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza in return for the freedom of many Palestinians jailed by Israel.
@ISIDEWITH6mos6MO
Can the grief of losing loved ones justify breaking rules or retaliating against others, even if it goes against one's group or society's ethics?
@ISIDEWITH6mos6MO
How should societies balance individual acts of revenge with the collective need for peace and order, particularly in conflict zones?
@ISIDEWITH6mos6MO
In the pursuit of justice, where should we draw the line between understandable emotional responses and actions that escalate conflict?
