How many groups helped Hamas in terror attack?
At least five armed Palestinian organizations were involved in the terrorist attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas, according to a report by the British broadcaster BBC.
Five groups had published videos following the Hamas massacre on October 7 to prove that they had been involved in the terrorist attack. This was reported by the BBC. According to Israel, at least 1,200 people were killed in the surprise attack and around 240 hostages were taken to the Gaza Strip.
According to the BBC, three other Palestinian groups merely stated in writing on Telegram that they were also involved in the massacre on October 7.
In total, three of the groups stated that they themselves had abducted hostages to the Gaza Strip on that day. Among them is the terrorist organization Islamic Jihad. None of the claims can currently be independently verified.
Washington: Not all hostages are held by Hamas
According to Israel, a total of 173 hostages are still in the Gaza Strip. The spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Madschid al-Ansari, however, said that he could not definitively confirm the number of remaining hostages. There are many estimates. Like the USA and Egypt, Qatar is mediating between Israel and Hamas.
The US government announced on Monday that it assumed that not all hostages were in the hands of Hamas. The communications director of the National Security Council, John Kirby, did not give an exact number. The broadcaster CNN, citing unnamed diplomatic sources, reported an estimated 40 hostages.
According to the BBC, Hamas had been training with various militant groups since 2020 on attack tactics such as those used on October 7. These included hostage-taking. Videos published on social networks showed ten different groups alongside Hamas, the BBC wrote. These groups could be identified by their headbands and insignia.
The Middle East has seen numerous conflicts involving groups like Hamas, and the recent terrorist attack on Israel is no exception. According to reports, at least five Palestinian organizations, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, were involved in the attack that resulted in a massacre, with over 1,200 lives lost and around 240 hostages taken to the Gaza Strip.
Despite Hamas' involvement in the hostage situation, the US government has suggested that not all hostages are under their control. John Kirby, the communications director of the National Security Council, stated this on Monday without providing an exact number.
The training of Hamas and other militant groups in attack tactics, including hostage-taking, has been a concern in the Middle East. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that Hamas had been training with various groups since 2020, and videos published on social media showed ten different groups participating in these exercises.
Source: www.dpa.com
