Conflict in the Middle East - Hamas representative states that the number of remaining captives is unknown.
Eight months after the assault on Israel, Islamic group Hamas has no knowledge, as claimed by them, about the current status of the roughly 120 captives believed to be imprisoned in the Gaza Strip. Hamas representative Osama Hamdan spoke to US cable news channel CNN in an interview that was aired on Friday, saying, "I don't know. Nobody knows it."
The Israeli military did not release any hostages from Hamas's custody until Saturday, during a major military operation in the Gaza Strip. Spanish media source El Pais, which did not independently confirm it, reported that 274 Palestinians were killed in this operation, according to a statement released by the terror organization's health authority.
Citizens in Israel have been staging protests for several months, asking the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make more efforts to return all captives. The hostages also play a significant role in the behind-the-scenes negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding a ceasefire. A ceasefire plan proposed by US President Joe Biden at first includes a temporary true, in which women, elderly, and sick Israeli captives are to be freed. In return, Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel would be let go. Then, the fighting would halt altogether, and the final captives would be permitted to depart. The final stage, according to the proposal, would involve the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
The Gaza conflict started on the 7th of October with the bloodiest attack in Israeli history, which involved over 1200 casualties. Over 250 hostages were captured in Gaza during this incident. There are concerns that many of the roughly 120 captives still believed to be held in the Gaza Strip may no longer be alive.
