IDF appears to push back on ‘irresponsible’ US claim Hamas refusing to release raped hostages

The Israel Defense Forces says public discussions about the state of captives held in Gaza has moved into reckless territory, urging those responsible to knock it off.

“The conversation around the issue is irresponsible, inaccurate and should be avoided,” the IDF says in a rare statement.

The pushback is apparently in response to comments from US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller Monday that Hamas terrorists likely held back on freeing female hostages because it did not want them to speak publicly about being subjected to rape and other sexual violence.

The army says it is closely tracking what intelligence it can on the hostages and calls for access to both female and male hostages by international bodies to report on their wellbeing.

“Every moment in captivity endangers our hostages. We’re doing all we can to bring them home,” the IDF says.