- Three further captives were killed on October 7.
- Families have been informed of the bodies, which were discovered at the Mefalsim crossroads on the day of the incident.
- Israel’s offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 35,000 Palestinians, a humanitarian crisis, and an impending famine.
Three further captives were killed on October 7; their remains, Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orion Hernandez Radoux, were transferred to Gaza and subsequently discovered by Israel’s army.
Families have been informed of the bodies, which were discovered at the Mefalsim crossroads on the day of the incident. another 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were slain and another 250 others were kidnapped by terrorists commanded by Hamas during the attack.
Hostages recovered
Most of those hostages were released after a week-long ceasefire in November, with about half of them having been exchanged for Palestinian captives detained by Israel. another 30 more captives’ bodies have been found in Gaza, according to Israel, and another 100 hostages remain there.
Despite his vow to destroy Hamas and free all the hostages, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not accomplished much. He is under pressure to step down, and in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the United States has vowed to reduce its assistance. According to Netanyahu, on Friday, the nation owed it to those kidnapped—dead or alive—to return them.
The nation is also awaiting a decision from the International Court of Justice over South Africa’s urgent request that Israel halt its activities. An International Court of Justice ceasefire order would put additional pressure on an increasingly isolated Israel, however, it is unlikely that Israel will abide by any such order.
Regarding the captives, Israelis are split into two broad camps: those who believe the hostages are a regrettable cost of eliminating Hamas, and others who urge the government to halt the conflict and release the hostages. Little has come of the intermittent talks that have been mediated by Egypt, the US, and Qatar.
Since the start of the conflict, Israel’s offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 35,000 Palestinians, a humanitarian crisis, and an impending famine. Even though it has diminished Hamas’s capacity, terrorists are reorganizing in some of northern Gaza’s most severely damaged areas and restarting rocket assaults into Israeli settlements nearby after nearly eight months of conflict.
