In the Gaza Strip, around 20 children have been held prisoner as a result of the Israel-Hamas conflict
On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) provided further details on the 200 captives who are still being held in the Gaza Strip. According to a statement from the IDF, there are more than 20 hostages who are under the age of 18 and 10 to 20 hostages who are beyond the age of 60.
In addition, the Israeli military said that following the vicious assault by Hamas terrorists on October 7, dead corpses of Israelis were also “taken hostage” in the Gaza Strip. Even though Hamas had previously said that 22 captives had died as a result of Israeli airstrikes, the IDF has asserted that the majority of the hostages are still alive.
Under the cover of rocket fire, over 2,500 Hamas militants infiltrated Gaza on October 7 and ransacked more than 20 Israeli border towns and neighborhoods. More than 1,400 people were slaughtered by the extremists, including infants, kids, women, and foreigners. Following the raid, the terrorists also abducted 200 or more persons and transported them to the Gaza Strip.
According to Hamas, the captives are being kept in safety in the tunnels and subterranean bunkers. It has also made available footage of a captive child receiving care in what seemed to be a hospital.
Israel launched a war against Hamas and pledged to eradicate it as retaliation for the deadly assault. Israel has also imposed “a complete siege” on Gaza by cutting off its access to water, food, fuel, and power.
Since October 7, the Israeli military has started shelling Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip. So far, the Israeli bombing has claimed the lives of more than 4,000 Palestinians. The Israeli military is now preparing to attack Gaza on the ground in its entirety and is awaiting approval from the political establishment.
According to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the National Unity Government’s war council would soon launch a ground attack on the forces gathered close to the Gaza Strip’s border.
Experts claim that Israel doesn’t want to take the chance of entering Gaza without having made the necessary preparations. The Israeli military’s delay to invade Gaza has become somewhat lengthier as a result of the humanitarian catastrophe. A compromise between Israel and Egypt will let trucks carrying humanitarian assistance for Gaza’s population to pass via the Rafah border crossing.
