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Mendes' account is one of seven given to Reuters by first responders or others dealing with the dead that attest to alleged sexual violence. VICTIMS DEAD, TRAUMATIZEDIn Israeli criminal law, sexual violence includes rape, but also indecent acts, harrassment and sexually demeaning a person – including forced nudity – among other offences. Some of those purporting to show sexual violence could not be authenticated – one seen by Reuters appeared to date to 2021. The news agency verified the locations of two other videos that suggest sexual violence, shared on social media within a day of the attack. Israeli lawyers say its evidentiary requirements on sexual violence are less challenging than Israel's.

Persons: Ronen, Shari Mendes, Mendes, It's, Deen al, Beeri, Taher al, Nono, Orit Soliciano, Neubach, Shelly Harush, Chen Kugel, Kugel, Dana Pugach, Rabbi Israel Weiss, Nachman Dyksztejn, Rami Shmuel, Shani Louk, Yael Vias Gvirsman, Vias Gvirsman, Geert, Jan Knoops, Israel, Peter Hirschberg, Anthony Deutsch, Stephanie Van Den Berg, Edmund Blair, Sara Ledwith, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Nova Festival, REUTERS, Rights, Shura, Reuters, Israel's Association, Association, Authorities, Israel National Center of Forensic Medicine, Ono Academic, Zaka, Police, Criminal Court, ICC, Israel's, Israeli Defence Force, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel's, Israel, Israeli, The Hague, Tel Aviv, Shura, Amsterdam, London

But the three men topping Israel's hit-list remain at large: Deif, the head of Hamas' military wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades; his second in command, Marwan Issa; and Hamas' leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. The three leaders are directing Hamas' military operations and led negotiations for a prisoner-hostage swaps, possibly from bunkers beneath Gaza, three Hamas sources say. The objective of the war remains to dismantle Hamas' military and government capabilities, Michael said, which could involve a turbulent period in Gaza after the war. An Israeli military officer, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, said the IDF viewed the elimination of such combat-level commanders as essential to dismantling Hamas' military capabilities. Israel has killed Hamas' leaders in the past, including the group's founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and its former leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantisi, assassinated in a 2004 air strike.

Persons: Ilan Rosenberg, Yoav Gallant, Mohammed Deif, Deen al, Marwan Issa, Yahya Sinwar, Issa, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Gallant, Sinwar, Michael Eisenstadt, we've, Eisenstadt, Osama Hamdan, Joe Biden's, al, Kobi Michael, Michael said, Michael, Gilad Shalit, Shalit, Gerhard Conrad, Conrad, Al, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Abdel, Aziz, Rantisi, Sheikh Yassin, Hamdan, Dan Williams, Samia Nakhoul, Daniel Flynn Organizations: REUTERS, Israeli, Hamas, Brigades, Qatar, Reuters, Military and Security, Washington Institute for Near East, Israel Defense Forces, Israel, Islamic, Israel's Ministry, Strategic Affairs, IDF, German Intelligence Agency, politburo, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Kibbutz Beeri, Israel, Tel Aviv, Deif, Gaza City, Lebanon, East, U.S, States, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Iran, United States, Iraq, Syria, Palestinian, Israeli, Sinwar, Al Jazeera, Rantissi, Jerusalem

☆ Hamas armed wing says it discussed freeing 70 hostages in return for 5-day truce
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Abu Ubaida, the spokesman of the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, gestures as he speaks during an anti-Israel military show in the southern Gaza Strip November 11, 2019. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCAIRO, Nov 13 (Reuters) - The armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Monday it told Qatari mediators the group was ready to release up to 70 women and children held in Gaza in return for a five-day truce with Israel. "The truce should include a complete ceasefire and allow aid and humanitarian relief everywhere in the Gaza Strip," he said. He accused Israel of "procrastinating and evading" the price of the deal. Reporting by Omar Abdel-Razek and Moaz Abdel-Aziz; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Howard GollerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Abu Ubaida, Deen al, Abu Mustafa, Israel, Omar Abdel, Moaz Abdel, Aziz, Chizu Nomiyama, Howard Goller Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rights CAIRO

☆ Hamas Armed Wing: More Than 60 Hostages Are Missing Due to Israeli Airstrikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

CAIRO (Reuters) - The armed wing of Palestinian militant faction Hamas said on Saturday that more than 60 hostages were missing because of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. Abu Ubaida, the spokesperson for the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, also said on Hamas' telegram account that 23 bodies of Israeli hostages were trapped under the rubble. "It seems that we will never be able to reach them due to the continued brutal aggression of the occupation against Gaza," he said. Reuters could not immediately verify the statement. (Reporting by Ahmed Tolba, writing by Hatem Maher; Editing by Emelia Sithole)

Persons: Abu Ubaida, Deen al, Ahmed Tolba, Hatem Maher, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Hamas, Brigades, Gaza, Reuters Locations: CAIRO, Gaza

☆ What is Hamas, the Palestinian group at war with Israel?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Oct 30 (Reuters) - The Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise attack from Gaza into Israel on Oct. 7, triggering an Israel-Hamas war that marked the most serious escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in many years. It is designated as a terrorist group by Israel, the United States, European Union, Canada, Egypt and Japan. Hamas's 1988 founding charter called for the destruction of Israel, although Hamas leaders have at times offered a long-term truce, or Hudna in Arabic, with Israel in return for a viable Palestinian state on all Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in the 1967 war. Since then, there have been numerous rounds of conflict with Israel, often involving Hamas rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel and Israeli airstrikes and bombardment of Gaza. Although a Sunni Muslim group, Hamas is part of a regional alliance comprising Iran, Syria and the Shi'ite Islamist group Hezbollah in Lebanon, which all broadly oppose U.S. policy in the Middle East and Israel.

Persons: Suhaib, Fatah, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Deen al, Mohammed Deif, Tom Perry, Stephen Farrell, Nick Macfie Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Movement, Muslim Brotherhood, West Bank, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, REUTERS, WHO, THE, Brigades, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Egypt, United States, European Union, Canada, Japan, Oslo, Gaza City, Suhaib Salem, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, East, Qatar

☆ Hamas armed wing says Israel 'stalled' on possible deal over hostages
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Abu Ubaida, the spokesman of the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, gestures as he speaks during an anti-Israel military show in the southern Gaza Strip November 11, 2019. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 28 (Reuters) - Hamas was about to reach an agreement with Israel over the hostages held by the Palestinian militant faction but Israel had "stalled" on that possibility, a spokesman for the group's armed wing said on Saturday. Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, also said in a video speech the group would only release all the hostages it has if Israel freed all Palestinian prisoners. Hamas can also hold talks over a "partial" agreement over the captives, he added. Reporting by Hatem Maher and Enas Alashray; editing by David EvansOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Abu Ubaida, Deen al, Abu Mustafa, Israel, Hatem Maher, Enas, David Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Brigades, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza

☆ Hamas Armed Wing Says Israel 'Stalled' on Possible Deal Over Hostages
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

(Reuters) - Hamas was about to reach an agreement with Israel over the hostages held by the Palestinian militant faction but Israel had "stalled" on that possibility, a spokesman for the group's armed wing said on Saturday. Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, also said in a video speech the group would only release all the hostages it has if Israel freed all Palestinian prisoners. Hamas can also hold talks over a "partial" agreement over the captives, he added. (Reporting by Hatem Maher and Enas Alashray; editing by David Evans)

Persons: Israel, Abu Ubaida, Deen al, Hatem Maher, Enas, David Evans Organizations: Reuters, Brigades Locations: Israel

☆ Qatar-led negotiations between Israel and Hamas continue, source says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

An explosion is seen on the Israel-Gaza border, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, as seen from the Israeli side, October 27, 2023. REUTERS TV via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsDOHA/JERUSALEM, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Qatar-mediated negotiations between Israel and Hamas aimed at de-escalating fighting in Gaza continued on Saturday, a source briefed on the negotiations said, even as Israel intensified its assault on the enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that efforts to secure the hostages' release will continue even during the Gaza ground offensive. Earlier, the armed wing of Hamas said it had been close to reaching an agreement with Israel over the hostages, but Israel had "stalled" on that possibility. Qatari envoys have previously helped mediate truces between the Islamist group and Israel.

Persons: Israel, Gaza's, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Abu Ubaida, Deen al, Andrew Mills, Emily Rose, Hatem Maher, Enas, David Evans, Andrew Cawthorne, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Brigades, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Rights DOHA, JERUSALEM, Qatar, Doha, Jerusalem, Cairo

A general view shows the interiors of what the Israeli military say is a cross-border attack tunnel dug from Gaza to Israel, on the Israeli side of the Gaza Strip border near Kissufim January 18, 2018. After the last round of hostilities in 2021, Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yehya Al-Sinwar, said: "They started saying they destroyed 100kms of Hamas tunnels. Tunneling became easier in 2005 when Israel pulled its soldiers and settlers out of Gaza, and when Hamas won power in a 2006 election. Although the military tunnels remained off-limits to outside eyes, during that era Gaza smugglers would show off their scarcely concealed commercial tunnels under the Rafah border. Israeli sources said what awaits them is formidable and they faced an enemy that has regrouped and learned from previous Israeli operations in 2014 and 2021.

Persons: Jack Guez, Lloyd Austin, Yehya Al, Sinwar, Lifshitz, Mahmoud Abbas, Amir Avivi, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Israel, Yasser Arafat's, Deen al, Gilad Shalit, Abu Qusay, Mohammed Deif, Deif, Joel Roskin, Ilan University, Benjamin Netanyahu, Amnon Sofrin, Daphne Richemond, Barak, Jonathan Saul, Stephen Farrell, Phil Stewart, Nafisa Eltahir, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Janet Lawrence Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, U.S . Defense, Israel, United Nations Security Council, LONG, Yasser Arafat's Palestine Liberation Organization, West Bank, Hamas, Brigades, Arafat's, Israel's, Ilan, Israel's Combat Engineering, Combat Intelligence Corps, Israel's Reichman University, IDF, ISIS, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Kissufim, JERUSALEM, LONDON, Hamas, Palestinian, States, Mosul, Islamic, Egypt, Israeli, Viet, Israel's, Egyptian, El Arish, Suez, Yasser Arafat's Palestine, Jordan, Rafah, Syria, Iraq, State, Jerusalem, London, Washington, Cairo

Palestinians inspect the remains of a mosque destroyed in Israeli strikes, as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues, in the northern Gaza Strip October 22, 2023. Palestinian group Hamas said on Sunday its fighters had engaged an armoured force infiltrating a southern area of Gaza and destroyed some Israeli military equipment before returning to base. These raids are raids that kill squads of terrorists who are preparing for the next stage in the war," he said, describing incursions that went "deep" into Gaza. Stoking expectations of a full-scale ground offensive by Israeli forces massed around Gaza, he said the military's operational readiness was improving and being enhanced "all the time". INCONCLUSIVE WARSSince cross-border attacks by Hamas on Israeli communities on Oct. 7 killed 1,400 people, Israel has amassed tanks and troops near the fenced border around Gaza for a planned ground invasion.

Persons: Anas, Daniel Hagari, Hagari, Izz el, Deen al, Khan Younis, Dan Williams, Nidal al, Edmund Blair, Timothy Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Sunday, Brigades, Israel, Palestinian, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Gaza Hamas, JERUSALEM, GAZA, Russian

☆ Hamas says its fighters engaged Israeli force infiltrating Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Palestinians gather around the remains of a mosque destroyed in Israeli strikes, as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues, in the northern Gaza Strip October 22, 2023. REUTERS/Anas al-Shareef Acquire Licensing RightsGAZA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Hamas fighters engaged with an Israeli force that infiltrated the Gaza Strip and returned to their base after destroying some Israeli military equipment, the Palestinian group's armed wing Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades said on Sunday. “Fighters engaged with the infiltrating force, destroying two bulldozers and a tank and forced the force to withdraw, before they returned safely to base,” the statement said. There was no immediate Israeli comment about the destruction of Israeli equipment or vehicles. Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Tim HeritageOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Anas, Deen al, Khan Younis, Nidal al, Edmund Blair, Tim Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, “ Fighters, Tim Heritage, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza

☆ Hamas says Israel declined to receive two hostages it intended to release
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Oct 21 (Reuters) - A spokesman for the armed wing of Hamas said on Saturday the group intended to release two more hostages for "humanitarian reasons", but that Israel had declined to receive them. Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, said in a brief statement said that it informed Qatar on Friday of Hamas' intention to release the two people. Reporting by Hatem Maher; Editing by Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Israel, Abu Ubaida, Deen al, Hatem Maher, Alison Williams Organizations: Thomson Locations: Qatar

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the mother and daughter were abducted by Hamas while they were staying at Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Israelis are still reeling from the Hamas assault and from images of fellow citizens being bundled off to Gaza, which is ruled by Hamas. An attempt to rescue all those Hamas said were now held in different locations could jeopardise their lives. American and British officials said they have been working with Qatar to secure the release of hostages, including their citizens, held in Gaza. Israel has also said that there will be no end to its full blockade of the enclave unless Israeli hostages are freed.

Persons: Judith Tai Raanan, Natalie Shoshana Raanan, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Natalie Raanan's, Ben Raanan, Judith Raanan's, Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Yonatan “ Yoni ” Netanyahu, Izz, Deen al, Abu Ubaida, Joe, Biden, Mia Schem, Gilad Shalit, Enas Alashray, Nidal, Michael Georgy, Steve Gorman, Grant McCool Organizations: Kibbutz, Denver Post, Gaza, Media, Hamas, Air, Qatar, Thomson Locations: GAZA, Chicago, Israel, Denver, Qatar, United States, Evanston, an Illinois, Gaza, Entebbe, Uganda, Air France, Palestinian, Thailand, Argentina, Germany, France, Portugal, Hamas, Cairo

☆ Hamas says it releases two U.S. hostages 'for humanitarian reasons' after Qatari efforts
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Hamas' armed wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, has released two U.S. hostages from Gaza — a mother and her daughter — "for humanitarian reasons" in response to Qatari mediation efforts in the war with Israel, its spokesman Abu Ubaida said on Friday. It said more than 20 hostages have been killed by Israeli air strikes, but has not given any further details. Israel has also said that there will be no end to its full blockade of the enclave unless Israeli hostages are freed. Hamas has released a video of Mia Schem, a 21-year-old French-Israeli woman captured at a dance party. American and British officials have confirmed they have been working with Qatar to secure the release of hostages, including their citizens, held in Gaza.

Persons: Deen al, —, Abu Ubaida, Joe, Biden, Israel, Mia Schem, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Gilad Shalit Organizations: Tel, Brigades, Hamas, Qatar Locations: Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv Israel, Hamas, Gaza, Israel, Thailand, Argentina, Germany, France, Portugal

☆ Fact Check: Video of Hamas military wing spokesperson thanking Iran dates to 2014
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A 2014 video of a spokesperson for the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, acknowledging Iranian support has been misrepresented online as being recent, following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. “Breaking News Israel: Spokesperson of Izzuddin Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obaidah: “We thank the Islamic Republic of Iran who provided us with weapons, money and other equipment! A report by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time includes a transcript of the spokesperson’s comments. Hamas is backed by Iran and is politically aligned with Iran, Syria and the Shi'ite Islamist group Hezbollah in Lebanon. A video showing an Al-Qassam Brigades’ spokesperson thanking Iran, was filmed in 2014, not after the October 2023 attacks on Israel.

Persons: Deen al, Izzuddin Al, Abu Obaidah, Al Jazeera, “ Al, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Read Organizations: Brigades, Breaking, Israel, Facebook, Al, YouTube, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamas, United Nations, Hezbollah, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Palestinian, Israel, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran, Syria, Lebanon

☆ Hamas deployed specialised units to attack Israel, says source
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Oct 9 (Reuters) - Palestinian Islamist group Hamas deployed a force of about 1,000 fighters to stage the most devastating attack on Israel in decades, organising them into specialised units, a source close to the group told Reuters. Some of the operations or training by the units were caught on videos released by Hamas and its armed wing the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades. Videos released by Hamas showed the unit, with badges carrying the name Air Force Falcon Squadron, in what appeared to be training for the assault. Videos issued by Hamas showed the fighters breaching the security fences, with the dim light and low sun suggesting it was at around the time as the rocket barrage. Hamas released a video showing what it described as drones called Zouari, saying they were the ones used to pave the way for the infiltration.

Persons: Deen al, paragliders, Samia Nakhoul, William Maclean, Edmund Blair Organizations: Hamas, Reuters, Brigades, AIRBORNE UNIT, Air Force Falcon Squadron, COMMANDO, UNIT, Thomson Locations: Israel, Israeli, Gaza, Dubai

☆ Factbox-What Is the Palestinian Group Hamas?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - The Palestinian group Hamas has launched a surprise attack from Gaza into Israel, in one of the most serious escalations in the Israel-Palestinian conflict in years. - Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement, was founded in 1987 during the first Palestinian Intifada, or uprising. The Hamas takeover of Gaza followed its win in Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 – the last time they were held. - Hamas refuses to recognise the state of Israel and violently opposed the Oslo peace accords negotiated by Israel and the PLO in the mid-1990s. - While its power base is in Gaza, Hamas also has supporters across the Palestinian territories, and it has leaders spread across the Middle East in countries including Qatar.

Persons: Fatah, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Deen al, Tom Perry, Ros Russell Organizations: Reuters, Palestinian, Hamas, Islamic Resistance Movement, West Bank, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, Brigades, Hezbollah Locations: Gaza, Israel, Shi'ite Iran, Egypt, Oslo, United States, European Union, Canada, Japan, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, East, Qatar

☆ What is the Palestinian group Hamas?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Ilan Rosenberg Acquire Licensing RightsOct 7 (Reuters) - The Palestinian group Hamas has launched a surprise attack from Gaza into Israel, in one of the most serious escalations in the Israel-Palestinian conflict in years. - Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement, was founded in 1987 during the first Palestinian Intifada, or uprising. The Hamas takeover of Gaza followed its win in Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 – the last time they were held. Its 1988 founding charter called for the destruction of Israel, although Hamas leaders have at times offered a long-term truce, or Hudna in Arabic, with Israel in return for a viable Palestinian state on all Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in the 1967 war. - While its power base is in Gaza, Hamas also has supporters across the Palestinian territories, and it has leaders spread across the Middle East in countries including Qatar.

Persons: Ilan Rosenberg, Fatah, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Deen al, Tom Perry, Ros Russell Organizations: REUTERS, Palestinian, Hamas, Islamic Resistance Movement, West Bank, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, Brigades, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Ashkelon, Israel, Shi'ite Iran, Egypt, Oslo, United States, European Union, Canada, Japan, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, East, Qatar

GAZA, April 28 (Reuters) - The armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas said on Thursday it would stop receiving fundraising via the crypto currency bitcoin, a method it has used for years, citing an increase in "hostile" activity against donors. Hamas had endorsed crypto as a fundraising method for years, previously developing sophisticated tactics to solicit bitcoin donations. Iran has also always been a major financial and military backer of the group, according to officials from both sides. Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Britain and the European Union. In 2020, the U.S. broke up efforts by the military wing of Hamas, al-Qaeda and Islamic State to raise funds via cryptocurrency, seizing some $2 million worth of crypto.

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