Amidst ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip, allegations surfaced that Israel has reportedly captured dozens of individuals, including Hamas terrorists, as per media reports and broadcasts. The Israeli military has been actively engaged in the conflict, attacking Hamas positions and reportedly discovering tunnels and weapons at their compounds.
Images showing men in their underwear, hands tied, and soldiers in uniform circulated online. Israeli journalist Almog Boker mentioned over a hundred captives, including some who surrendered to Israeli troops. However, Israel has yet to provide an official statement regarding these mass arrests.
Fierce combat ensued in Chan Junis, with Hamas positions under attack, according to the Israeli army's announcement. Jabalia also witnessed soldiers assaulting a Hamas military compound, resulting in several terrorists' deaths. At the site, weapons and tunnels were found. Israel's navy further engaged Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip.
Unfortunately, the son of earlier Chief of General Staff Gadi Eisenkot lost his life during the conflict. Stationed in a commando unit, the 25-year-old soldier succumbed in battle in the north of the Gaza Strip. This marks the 89th Israeli soldier to lose their life since the inception of the offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, surpassing the casualty count from all previous Israel-Gaza conflicts.
The recent bloodshed stemmed from the worst massacre in Israel's history, brought about by terrorists from Hamas and other groups near the Gaza Strip's border on October 7. In total, more than 1200 people were killed in response to these acts, triggering massive Israeli airstrikes and a subsequent ground offensive since the end of October in Gaza.
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While direct information on mass Hamas terrorist arrests by the Israeli military is not available, the broader conflict and related issues are presented in available sources. For example, Hamas has released several Israeli hostages, including civilian captives killed in an Israeli airstrike. Prisoner exchanges between Israel and Hamas have occurred, with Israel releasing over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israelis. Human rights organizations have condemned Hamas for war crimes, including hostage-taking, which is considered a serious breach of international humanitarian law.
