Hamas Claims Israeli Hostages Dead in New Video, Israel Denies Responsibility
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, has released a new video showing what it claims to be the bodies of two Israeli hostages. The video, released on Monday, also showed a third Israeli hostage reading a script, stating that the two men were killed by Israeli strikes. The hostages, Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itai Svirsky, 38, had appeared in an initial video on Sunday.
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Israel’s military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, expressed serious concern about the fate of the hostages shown in the video. However, he denied that Israeli forces were responsible for the death of Svirsky, stating that the building where the hostages were held was not targeted or attacked. Hagari did not provide any details about the second person, respecting the family’s request for privacy.
Reuters has been unable to independently verify what happened to the three hostages. They were among 240 people taken hostage by Hamas militants during a surprise cross-border attack into southern Israel on October 7th. While approximately half of the hostages were released during a short-lived truce in November, Israel claims that 132 remain in captivity, with 25 confirmed deaths.
Forensic officials have found causes of death inconsistent with Hamas’ account that the hostages died in Israeli air strikes. Israel has also emphasized that it is aware of the risks to hostages during its offensive and is taking precautions to avoid harming innocent civilians.
As night fell, Israeli planes and tanks intensified their bombardment across Gaza. In Al-Bureij, central Gaza, four people were killed and others injured in an Israeli missile strike, according to medics. In the Tel Al-Hawa suburb of Gaza City, two people were killed and others wounded by an Israeli strike.
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Israel’s military has withdrawn another division of troops as part of plans for more targeted operations against Hamas leaders in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that intense military operations in southern Gaza were nearly over, but Hamas would not release any more hostages without military pressure.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has not only devastated Gaza but has also intensified violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the wider Middle East. On Monday, Palestinians carried out car-rammings in the central Israeli town of Raanana, killing a woman and injuring 12 others. Hamas’ political unit in exile linked these incidents to Israeli “crimes,” stating that they were further evidence of an expanding conflict.
In the West Bank, run by the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, raids conducted by Israel have resulted in the deaths of 351 people, according to the health ministry. The conflict has also spread to Yemen, where Houthi fighters have increased attacks on ships in the Red Sea, claiming solidarity with the people of Gaza.
As the conflict continues, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens, with almost two million displaced people facing increased risks of starvation and disease due to shortages of food, fuel, and medicine. The international community remains deeply concerned about the escalating violence and the urgent need for a peaceful resolution..
