Israeli army’s big claim, Hamas took 199 people hostage in cross-border attacks

A total of 199 people have been taken hostage by Hamas militants since launching their deadly attack in the Gaza Strip last week, the Israeli military said on Monday. “We have updated the families of 199 hostages,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari told a media briefing. They have revised the previous number of prisoners to 155. The Israeli army gave the number as 155. Hagari said during the briefing that authorities had contacted the hostages’ families to provide assistance and information.

Israel declared war against the Islamist group a day after Hamas militants breached the fortified borders, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,400 people, mainly civilians, who were shot, stabbed, etc. Went and was burnt. Seven days of continuous bombardment destroyed entire neighborhoods, costing a total of 3,000 lives on both sides. As the war continued to escalate, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders to the 1.1 million Palestinians in the north of the Gaza Strip, about half of its 2.4 million population, and urged them to move south for their safety.

The United States, a staunch supporter of Israel, has expressed concern about a possible escalation of violence and has deployed two aircraft carriers to the eastern Mediterranean as a deterrent. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan praised the attack by Hamas, while denying its direct involvement, emphasizing the possibility of Iran being directly involved. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken launched a series of diplomatic visits to Middle Eastern capitals in a bid to stem the wider crisis in the region. Blinken also appealed to China to increase its influence in the region to reduce tensions.