Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza, leading to many casualties. Among the victims are a significant number of Israeli soldiers and civilians, including women, who have been taken hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. According to military spokesman Lt Col Jonathan Conricus, some hostages are still alive, while others are presumed dead, as reported by the BBC.
An organization called Israel War Room, which is a nonprofit, shared pictures of the missing Israelis who have been kidnapped by Hamas during the war. In their social media post, they stated that Hamas seems to have targeted mostly women and that there have been confirmed reports of rape being used as a weapon of war by Hamas fighters. The organization urged for no mercy towards these barbaric acts, accompanying their message with images of the missing individuals.
People in Israel have also been sharing photos of their friends and family members whom they believe have been kidnapped by Hamas. Relatives of the missing individuals have been asked to submit their belongings to police stations for DNA sampling.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds Hamas responsible for the well-being of the hostages and promised to take actions against anyone who harms them. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus described the situation as “unprecedented” and deeply disturbing for Israelis. He expressed concerns about the fate of the hostages at the hands of these barbaric captors, as reported by CNN. Meanwhile, a Hamas spokesperson claimed that the number of Israeli hostages taken is much higher than what Netanyahu assumes.
In a distressing video that surfaced on the internet, a 25-year-old woman named Noa Argamani was seen being forcibly kidnapped by Hamas fighters from a peace festival. The footage showed her pleading for her life while being taken away on the back of a motorcycle, accompanied by her boyfriend Avi Nathan, who was also manhandled by the Hamas group, according to the New York Post.
Israeli security forces are currently engaged in efforts to rescue the hostages. The exact number of casualties is yet to be confirmed by Israel’s health ministry, but Israeli media reports suggest that the death toll may be around 300, with over 1,860 people injured.
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