Hamas purportedly releases video showing bodies of two Israeli hostages in Gaza
Doha/Gaza/Jerusalem – In a shocking development, Hamas has released a video showing the dead bodies of two Israeli hostages, Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itai Svirsky, 38. The video, released on Monday, comes after Hamas warned Israel that the hostages would be killed if the bombardment of Gaza did not cease.
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The video also features Noa Argamani, a university student held hostage by Hamas, reading from a script in front of a blank white wall. Argamani states that the two hostages were killed by Israeli strikes.
Israel’s military spokesperson expressed serious concern about the fate of the hostages shown in the video. However, the spokesperson clarified that Svirsky, one of the hostages, was not killed by Israeli fire. Adm Daniel Hagari, the military spokesperson, stated that the building where the hostages were held was not a target and was not attacked by Israeli forces.
Reuters has been unable to verify the authenticity of the video or confirm the fate of the three hostages. Approximately 240 people were taken hostage by Hamas militants during a surprise cross-border rampage into southern Israel on October 7. While about half of the hostages were released during a short-lived November truce, Israel claims that 132 hostages remain in Gaza, with 25 deaths reported.
In the video released by Hamas on Sunday, the group urged the Israeli government to halt its aerial and ground offensive and secure the release of the hostages. Israeli officials have generally refrained from responding to Hamas’ public messaging on the hostages.
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Forensic officials have conducted autopsies on recovered hostages and found causes of death inconsistent with Hamas’ claims that they died in air strikes.
As the conflict continues, Israel’s campaign in Gaza has resulted in extensive destruction and has claimed the lives of approximately 24,100 people, with nearly 61,000 wounded, according to health officials. The ongoing offensive has also intensified violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the wider Middle East.
In a coordinated attack, Palestinians carried out car-rammings in the central Israeli town of Raanana, resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to 12 others. Hamas’ political unit in exile has linked these incidents to Israeli “crimes” and sees them as evidence of the expanding conflict.
Furthermore, Houthi fighters in Yemen, who control a significant portion of the country, have increased attacks on ships in the Red Sea that they claim are linked to Israel. In response to US and British air strikes on their positions in Yemen, the Houthi fighters damaged a US-owned vessel carrying steel products with an anti-ship ballistic missile.
The situation remains volatile and tense as the conflict continues to unfold in the region..
