Israeli Detainees in Gaza on the Rise
On Monday, the Israeli military reported that 199 detainees were being held in Gaza, an increase from the previous estimate.
In exchange for detainees in Gaza, 6,000 Palestinian men and women detained in Israeli jails have been ordered to be released by a Hamas official.
The Israeli military recorded 199 detainees in the besieged zone on Monday, up from 199.
Hamas’s Statements on Detainees and Hostages
The director of Hamas’ diaspora office, Khaled Meshaal, stated that among the hostages are senior officers from the Gaza Division of the Israeli Defense Forces, which is tasked with conducting patrols along the Gaza Strip.
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It follows another Hamas official’s statement that he “is unaware” of the current number of hostages.
Hamas’s chief of political and international relations, Dr. Basem Naim, stated, “I have no idea. It is impossible given the intense bombardment; all communications have been severed.”
Latest from Israel-Gaza: Hospital power will be out “within twenty-four hours.”
He added that the Gazan Palestinian terrorist organisation would release civilian detainees provided “aggression against our people ceases.”
“At the time the aggression stops, we are ready to release the civilian hostages,” according to him.
“It is my sincere hope that we will still have hostages alive when the aggression concludes, as yesterday al-Qassam Brigade [the armed branch of Hamas] reported that nine of the hostages perished in the Israeli bombardment.
“And three days ago, 13 others were killed – including four foreigners.”
Humanitarian Aid and Foreign Nationals’ Plight
Negotiations to allow foreigners and humanitarian aid through the bridge have halted.
The crossing was anticipated to reopen on Monday at 9:00 a.m. local time.
However, a UN official said no progress had been made towards reopening the border.
Egypt claims Israel is blocking aid from entering Gaza through Rafah, stranding hundreds of tonnes of supplies in Al Arish.
On Monday, Cairo said Israeli bombings on Gaza had made the border unusable but not blocked.
On Monday, an IDF official said delivering humanitarian goods to Gaza is “not our current responsibility.”
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner said, “We are not responsible for the distressing visuals at this time”.
Indeed, our primary objective is to attack Hamas and their capabilities.
“We can’t be expected not to defend our civilians because Hamas is hiding behind theirs.”
He said the IDF was working with humanitarian organisations but not providing aid from Gaza.
International Response and Escalation of Conflict
After 28 towns were evacuated near the border with Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to dissuade Hezbollah from joining the conflict by stating, “Do not test us” in the northern region of the country.
The evacuations in northern Israel occurred subsequent to an escalation in hostilities between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant organization supported by Tehran, ever since the unannounced entry of Hamas into Israel on October 7.
Mr. Netanyahu, while speaking in parliament on Monday, which was temporarily evacuated due to air raid sirens sounding in Jerusalem, urged international cooperation to defeat Hamas.
He stated, “This war is also your war,” drawing a parallel between the Nazis and the Hamas militants.
Yoav Gallant, the defense minister of Israel, also declared on Monday during a brief news conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, “We are going to win this war.”
“You know our deep commitment to Israel’s right, and indeed its obligation, to defend itself and to defend its people – in that you have, and always, the support of the United States,” Mr. Blinken responded.
Israel is expected to invade Gaza in the coming days to overthrow Hamas, the Palestinian government.
Mohammad Shtayyeh, prime minister of the Palestinian Authority in the occupied territory of the West Bank, had earlier urged Benjamin Netanyahu to “cease the aggression” in a speech to his cabinet.
In the same interview, US President Joe Biden advocated for the eradication of Hamas but cautioned that Israel’s occupation of Gaza would be erroneous and advocated for a “two-state solution” instead.
Israel has suffered the loss of over 1,400 lives since Hamas launched its assault on the country on October 7.
A Hamas government official said Israel’s retaliation attacks killed 2,808 Palestinians and injured 10,850.
Palestinian civil defence team: 1,000 people may be buried by debris.
