Hamas makes bombshell announcement: Nearly 50 Israeli hostages dead!
In a riveting turn of events, the armed faction of Hamas, Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, proclaimed on Thursday that close to 50 Israeli hostages lost their lives as Israel’s counter-strikes rained down on the Palestinian territory. The statement, which echoed across their Telegram channel, cited, “The number of Zionist prisoners who were killed in the Gaza Strip as a result of Zionist strikes and massacres has reached almost 50,” triggering worldwide attention and, undoubtedly, concerns.
Startling Hostage Crisis Amidst Deadly Combat
Prevailing reports from the Israeli military had indicated a staggering 224 people held captive by militants. Out of this tragic figure, the lives of 1,400, predominantly civilians, were snuffed out during the ruthless assaults. “We have informed the families of 224 hostages. This number is changing based on the intelligence we obtain. The effort to return the hostages is a top priority,” stated military spokesman Daniel Hagari, raising more questions than answers. In a revelation that intensified the intrigue, the Israeli government mentioned that a substantial portion of these hostages held foreign passports.
Israel’s Retaliatory Fury
The backdrop to this crisis: Israel unleashed a series of robust air strikes against the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. This fierce retaliation was in response to Hamas’s aggressive attack on October 7.
“Advance Warnings Make No Difference”
Lynne Hastings, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, dropped another bombshell, stating the grim reality in Gaza. Despite Israeli forces sending evacuation alerts, the end result remained tragically unaltered. She emphasized, “Nowhere is safe in Gaza.”
Amid these tensions, the Israeli military cited their objective to target “numerous terrorist cells, infrastructure, and anti-tank missile launch posts”. The intense operations in northern Gaza signal potential escalations in this relentless combat.
Driving this narrative, PM Netanyahu asserted during a broadcasted message, “we are in the midst of a campaign for our existence”.