Hamas is threatening to release the “last messages” of the six Israeli hostages it murdered at Gaza over the weekend, though it is unclear what exactly such messages would entail. In a teaser video posted to Telegram on Monday, the six hostages are seen saying their names direct-to-camera before the threat is made. 

Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, Carmel Gat, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin — all of whom were killed by Hamas just days ago — are seen in the black and white tape saying their names before a message translated into Hebrew, English, and Arabic reads on the screen: “Hours and we will show their last messages,” according to the Jewish Chronicle. 

The release of such “messages” from the hostages could threaten to incite even more intense protests in Israel against Prime Minister Netanyahu, who said at a press conference Monday that he was not changing course from defeating Hamas in favor of a cease-fire. He also said he would not abandon his goal of maintaining some level of military control over Gaza once the conflict ends. 

The pressure has gotten to some members of the Israeli war cabinet, according to Axios. On Thursday, it was reported that Mr. Netanyahu and his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, got into a screaming match at a cabinet meeting where Mr. Gallant told the premier that he could either demand military control of Gaza or he could have the hostages released, though not both. 

From the streets of Israel to the White House Situation Room, thousands are demanding the prime minister expedite a deal. A general strike was called in the Jewish state by trade unionists on Monday, briefly shutting down Ben-Gurion International Airport before the strike was deemed illegal by a labor court. On the same day, President Biden told reporters that Mr. Netanyahu was not doing enough to reach a cease-fire and hostage release agreement with Hamas.