Israeli Government Suspects a Grim Outcome for Hostages in Gaza
Israel suspects that around a third of the remaining hostages in Gaza are dead, based on an assessment made by the Israeli government on Tuesday. Initially, 250 hostages were taken to Gaza after an attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7. While many were released during a temporary ceasefire in November, some were either brought back dead or alive during Israel's military operation in Gaza. Currently, 120 hostages are believed to still be held in Gaza, with Israel declaring 43 of them dead in absentia. The assessment is founded on a mix of sources such as surveillance videos, intelligence tips, and forensic analysis.
Tragically, four hostages were confirmed dead on Monday, and there are concerns that the actual number of casualties among hostages in Gaza might be greater than the reported 43. US President Joe Biden mentioned on Friday that Israel had put forth a ceasefire deal proposal, which includes the release of hostages in Gaza. The President stated that Israel itself formulated the agreement. Nonetheless, two Israeli ministers have threatened to resign from the government if the Prime Minister signs the agreement without ensuring the elimination of Hamas before Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that the primary objective remains the defeat of Hamas.
The response from Hamas to the proposed agreement is still uncertain. US Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Matthew Miller implied that there is ambiguity surrounding Hamas' reaction to the proposal, as mentioned during a press conference on Monday evening as reported by Reuters. According to Israeli figures, around 1,200 individuals lost their lives in the initial Hamas attack on October 7. Subsequently, Israel's bombings and ground offensive have reportedly led to the deaths of nearly 36,500 people in Hamas-controlled Gaza, as reported by ritzauReuters.
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