The Israeli military on Wednesday said that a February strike on Khan Younis in southern Gaza may have led Hamas militants to execute six hostages.

The six hostages, whose bodies were found in Gaza over the summer, were probably shot in February by their captors as an Israeli strike hit close to the tunnel where they were held, the military said.

Hamas said it had information that Israel intended to carry out a hostage rescue operation similar to one conducted in Gaza's Nuseirat camp in June and threatened to "neutralize" the captives if any such action took place,

In December 2023, the Israeli military expressed "deep remorse" after soldiers mistakenly killed three hostages in northern Gaza who had escaped from their captors. They were named as Yotam Haim, 28, Samer Talalka, 22, and Alon Shamriz, 26.

Hamas said it had information that Israel intended to carry out a hostage rescue operation similar to one conducted in Gaza's Nuseirat camp in June and threatened to "neutralise" the captives if any such action took place.

Hamas said on Monday that 33 hostages in Gaza had been killed during the almost 14-month-old war between the Palestinian militant group and Israel in the enclave, without giving their nationalities.

The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that an Israeli strike was likely responsible for the deaths of six Israel

An apparent internal statement from Hamas includes an order to "neutralise" hostages if Israeli forces try to rescue them in action similar to the deadly Nuseirat camp operation.

Hamas threatened to "neutralize" its hostages if Israel attempted another rescue operation, according to an internal statement seen by Reuters.

In a Nov. 22 internal statement reviewed Wednesday by Reuters, Hamas said it believed Israel was about to stage an operation like the June attack at Gaza’s Nuseirat camp.