According to Abu Ubaida, the incident stems from Israel's "massacre" of Palestinians. In a statement posted on Telegram, he said: "The Israeli government must take full responsibility for these massacres."

A committee has been set up to investigate and the results will be announced later, Mr. Abu Ubaida said, adding that efforts were being made to treat the two wounded hostages.

This is the first time Al-Qassam has claimed its guards killed a hostage. The group has often blamed previous hostage killings on Israeli bombing.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee told X: "A few minutes ago, the Hamas terrorist organization claimed that Hamas activists killed an Israeli male prisoner and injured two female prisoners in two separate incidents... We continue to investigate the credibility of this claim and will provide information as we have it."

The Al-Qassam Brigades' statement came after an Israeli airstrike on a school shelter in Gaza City housing displaced Palestinian families killed about 100 people on August 10.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)