Hamas Captures Israeli Soldiers and Civilians in Deadly Attack on Israel
On Saturday, Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel, resulting in the capture of a number of Israeli soldiers and civilians, according to the Israeli military. Videos emerged showing Israeli soldiers and civilians being taken away by fighters from the Palestinian militant group.
Hamas fired rockets from Gaza and sent gunmen into Israeli territory, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare that the country is now “at war.” At least 300 people in Israel were reported to have been killed in the unprecedented attack, with over 1,500 wounded, according to Israeli media.
In Gaza, at least 232 Palestinians were killed and 1,697 injured, according to the Palestinian health ministry. One video, geolocated and authenticated by CNN, showed militants pulling two terrified soldiers out of a disabled tank. In another clip, a soldier was seen lying motionless on the ground, while a third soldier had a bloody face.
The Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, claimed to have captured “dozens” of Israelis and stated that they were secured in safe places and resistance tunnels. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later confirmed that the number of civilians captured by Hamas was a “significant number” and unprecedented in their history.
Hamas has not taken hostages in years and was previously known for holding two captured civilians and the bodies of two Israeli soldiers. The IDF spokesperson called the kidnappings a “war crime.”
CNN geolocated a video that showed a woman being forcibly taken from the trunk of a Jeep and forced into the back seat of the car. In another video, Hamas militants were seen taking multiple Israelis captive in the village of Be’eri, near Gaza.
The IDF stated that there were “main focal points” for the hostage situations in the towns of Ofakim and Be’eri. The IDF is preparing for a ground incursion and has called up “hundreds of thousands” of army personnel, with tanks and divisions being deployed to the area.
Israel vowed an unprecedented response to Hamas’s actions. The situation remains tense as both sides continue to exchange fire and engage in intense fighting along the border.