The Israeli military has verified the captivity of 155 individuals who are being held as hostages by Hamas, following the deadly attack that occurred on October 7th.

Among these hostages is an 83-year-old Israeli journalist who was taken from his residence in kibbutz Nir Oz, along with his 85-year-old partner, who had dedicated decades to advocating for peace and the recognition of Palestinian rights.

It appears that other hostages were taken from Israeli border communities that were overrun by Palestinian gunmen or were likely seized from a wooded area near the border where they had been attending a music festival overnight.

The group of hostages comprises eight Germans, five US citizens, two Mexican nationals, and a significant number of Israelis, The Guardian reported.

In the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attack, family members of the missing have been making individual pleas through various media channels, contacting every possible source in a quest for information regarding the whereabouts of their loved ones.

Israel has stated that its forces discovered the bodies of some hostages during their incursions into Gaza but has not provided a specific number.

Hamas, on the other hand, has asserted that 22 hostages were killed in Israeli airstrikes, though without presenting any evidence to support this claim.

They have also issued warnings that they will retaliate by harming hostages in response to unannounced Israeli strikes on civilian targets.

Written by staff