Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the attack because negotiations to extend the ceasefire were not making progress. Defense Minister Israel Katz also affirmed that the military campaign will continue until all hostages are released.
Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement and warned that new strikes could put the fate of the remaining hostages in danger. The armed group arrested 251 people in the October 7, 2023 attack, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
The Hindu reported that since the war broke out, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 48,000 Palestinians have died, mostly women and children. This statistic does not distinguish between civilians and shooters.
The number of hostages still in Gaza is a controversial issue. Of the captives, 147 were released through exchanges or agreements, of which eight had died. In addition, the Israeli army has recovered the bodies of dozens of people and rescued 8 surplus hostages.
It is estimated that there are still 59 hostages in captivity, of which Israel believes 35 people have died.
In the remaining hostage group, 13 were Israeli soldiers, and nine of them were declared dead. In addition, there are five people without Israeli nationality, including three Thais, one Nepatial and one Tan nar. According to Israel, 1 Thai and 1 Nepalese are still alive.
The current situation shows that the fate of hostages is still one of the central issues of the conflict. This is also a factor that increases stress and can directly affect the development of the war in the coming time.
