Hourglass and Gold Piece… “The Sword of Time” accompanies Gaza hostages

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At the foot of a “hill” of rubble in Khan Younis, in the southernmost part of Gaza, a small platform is visible with a small transparent glass hourglass on top.

Despite its small size, barely visible to the cameras, the message of this hourglass seems clear. It complements a video previously published by Hamas titled “Time is Running Out.”

Recently, Hamas responded to a request from the wife of an Israeli hostage by publishing a video of her husband to reassure her.

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Indeed, the movement shared the video via the Telegram app, which included the phrase “Time is Running Out” in three languages: Arabic, Hebrew, and English.

In the background of the video, an hourglass appears, suggesting that time is running quickly, hinting at the situation of the Israeli hostages held by Al-Qassam Brigades.

The message of time takes on a particular significance in the context of rapid developments that nearly led to the collapse of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, during which Tel Aviv threatened to resume the war, which could result – among other things – in the death of the remaining hostages instead of their release.

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Through the hourglass, Hamas delivers a warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the potential collapse of the agreement and the lack of progress toward its second phase.

The future of the ceasefire agreement remains uncertain, especially as negotiations for its second phase have not yet begun. This phase is expected to see the release of all living hostages and the end of the war.

The third and final phase of the agreement will focus on the reconstruction of Gaza, a massive project that the United Nations estimates will cost over $53 billion.

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Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas‘ military wing, deployed in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, where a platform has been prepared for the handover of prisoners to the International Red Cross.

The Palestinian movement is preparing, this Saturday, to carry out the sixth exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners under an agreement that is on the verge of collapsing this week.

The three hostages who will be released on Saturday are Sasha Trobanov (29), Israeli-Russian, Sagi Dekel Han (36), Israeli-American, and Yair Horn (46), Israeli-Argentine.

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Golden Chain

Hamas‘ military wing presented hostage Sagi Dekel with a golden gift for his daughter, born four months after his capture, in a gesture that conveys messages beyond the hostage, reaching Donald Trump, the American president who shocked the world with his Gaza proposal.

Trump stunned the international community when he announced last week a proposal to place Gaza under U.S. control, rebuild the destroyed areas, and turn them into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” while relocating the Palestinians elsewhere, without a plan for their return.

The proposal faced widespread regional and international rejection and sparked a unified Arab response.

After this condemnation, it seems that Hamas is turning to “diplomacy,” hoping that soft power could achieve what threats have not.

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Stolen Car

Media reports indicated that the sixth exchange will take place in a vehicle seized by Al-Qassam brigades during the October 7, 2023 attack, which triggered the Gaza war.

If this happens, it will not be the first time Hamas uses a stolen vehicle from Israel to transport hostages before handing them over to the International Red Cross.

For its part, the Israeli military stated that it is ready to receive the prisoners at a single point after about an hour in Re’im, near the Gaza envelope.

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Israeli Military Uniform

During preparations, elite members of the Al-Qassam Brigades and Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, arrived at the handover site in Khan Younis, dressed in outfits resembling Israeli military uniforms.

M-60

After the “Ghol” rifles used in previous exchanges, this time M-60 rifles are seen. These machine guns were used by Israel in the last Gaza war, sending messages that have become routine in exchange operations.

The rifle is a 7.62 mm automatic machine gun, firing 600 rounds per minute, with a magazine holding between 200 and 1000 rounds, cooled by air.

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