Hamas‘ “Shadow Unit,” a secretive and specialized group, is likely responsible for overseeing the holding of Israeli and international hostages captured amid the ongoing conflict in Israel, complicating rescue efforts.
This unit’s primary role is guarding hostages, and their involvement makes it challenging for Israeli authorities to conduct recovery operations, Fox News Digital reports.
The Shadow Unit is one of several specially trained groups within Hamas, focusing on guarding hostages rather than combat operations or kidnappings.
Hamas took men, women, children and the elderly hostage. These kidnapped hostages need to come home. Their families need them to come home. pic.twitter.com/AUDCm9G8tZ
— Israel in New York (@IsraelinNewYork) October 16, 2023
This unit’s existence was only disclosed by Hamas in 2016. It was formed to help negotiate the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, who are highly regarded by Hamas. However, the recent large number of hostages taken in the conflict could present challenges for the Shadow Unit, which might be unable to adequately care for all the hostages.
The unit’s limited capacity for such a situation could further endanger the lives of those held captive.
🇵🇸🇮🇱 Hamas Release a Video Of A Hostage.
Mia Shem, 21 years old, is a Shoham resident with French citizenship.
She was kidnapped by Hamas from Sderot on the 7th of October.
"I am a prisoner in Gaza and they treated me and performed a surgery on me that took 3 hours, and… pic.twitter.com/0u1QZ0RgxR
— Censored Men (@CensoredMen) October 16, 2023
The exact number of hostages held by the Shadow Unit remains unknown, and other terrorist groups in the region may have taken hostages as well. This lack of accurate accounting makes rescue attempts and negotiations more complicated.
While it is possible that some Americans are held by the Shadow Unit, the group is more likely to prioritize Israeli hostages, whom they believe they can use to negotiate with Israel’s government for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
There is speculation that hostage rescue attempts may have contributed to a delay in Israel’s offensive against Hamas, as Israeli authorities work to collect actionable intelligence before conducting such operations. These efforts aim to ensure the safety of hostages and are crucial given the presence of civilians, including children, held in multiple locations throughout Gaza.
