An Israeli intelligence report, as detailed in The New York Times on Tuesday, has disclosed that more than a fifth of the remaining 136 hostages held by Hamas are believed to be deceased. Families of 32 hostages have been informed of their loved ones’ demise, based on the findings from a confidential internal Israeli intelligence report reviewed by The Times.
Furthermore, additional intelligence, albeit unconfirmed, suggests that there may be at least 20 more hostages who have met a similar fate, according to sources cited by The Times.
The report also indicates that the majority of the 32 deceased hostages lost their lives during the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel that occurred on October 7.
Despite pressure from the Biden administration for Israel to conclude its operation against Hamas in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains steadfast in his commitment to continue until three objectives are achieved: the return of all hostages, the eradication of Hamas, and the demilitarization and de-radicalization of Gaza.
Recent reports suggest that Biden used a derogatory term to describe Netanyahu as a “bad [bleeping] guy.” Nonetheless, Netanyahu persists in the search for hostages and Hamas terrorists in Gaza, with indications that the operation to eliminate Hamas terrorists in Khan Younis could commence in less than a week.
According to Israeli officials who spoke to Newsmax, Hamas seized hostages from Israel following the terrorist attacks on October 7 to utilize them as human shields and as leverage against Israel’s subsequent retaliatory actions in Gaza, a tactic commonly employed by terrorists.