Nine hostages killed by Israel’s airstrikes, says Hamas

The Palestinian militant group Hamas says nine of the hostages it captured have been killed by Israel’s airstrikes.

On October 7, Hamas launched an unprecedented and coordinated land, air and sea incursion of Israel which reportedly killed 1,300 Israelis.

Hamas kidnapped at least 150 Israelis and took them into Gaza. Afterwards, the group commenced the launching of rockets into Israeli territory.

Hamas said the captives were killed overnight following Israel’s airstrikes “on locations where the prisoners were held”.

Four of the dead hostages are reportedly foreigners.

Earlier, the Israeli army said it had confirmed that more than 120 people were being held captive by Hamas.

The army said it had retrieved bodies of several missing people when it entered into Gaza on Friday.

28 PALESTINIAN MEDICS KILLED

The Palestinian health ministry says 28 medics have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza since last Saturday.

The health ministry, on Saturday, said the death toll from Israeli airstrikes has risen to 2200, including 724 children.

It added that more than 8,714 others are wounded.

On the other hand, Israel’s military said it killed two Hamas commanders who were behind Saturday’s attack.

The military identified them as Merad Abu Merad, who was the head of Hamas aerial system, and Ali Qadi, a company commander of a commando force.

HAMAS CHIEF ACCUSES ISRAEL OF WAR CRIMES

Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas chief, has accused Israel of committing war crimes and preventing humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip.

“Israeli atrocities amount to war crimes,” Haniyeh said in a letter addressed to Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General.

Food, water and fuel are running low in Gaza because of the Israeli strikes and siege,  prompting the need for immediate humanitarian aid.

Hospitals in Gaza are also said to be facing challenges amid influx of casualties.

The health ministry said the hospitals are losing “clinical, pharmaceutical and fuel capacities”.

Martin Griffiths, UN aid chief, said the humanitarian situation in Gaza is now “fast becoming untenable”,

In a statement on Saturday, Griffiths said civilians must be allowed to leave for safer areas, urging all to avoid further escalation  of the war.

“Civilians in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory are suffering from a week of utter anguish and devastation,” Griffiths said.

“I fear that the worst is yet to come. The past week has been a test for humanity and humanity is failing.”

ISRAEL SIEGE UNACCEPTABLE

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also said Israel’s decision to siege the whole region is “unacceptable”.

“Israel is responding on a large scale and using pretty cruel methods. Harsh. Of course, we understand the logic of what is going on, but despite all the ferocity on both sides, despite all the remorseless we need to think about the civilian population,” Putin said.

“Some say that there may be military and normal military measures taken against the Gaza sector.

“Similar to the blockade of Leningrad during World War Two, we understand where that goes and this is unacceptable there. Two plus million people there and not all of them support Hamas.”