The armed wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, has called on the Israeli military to temporarily halt airstrikes and withdraw from parts of Gaza City to allow efforts to locate two Israeli hostages reportedly lost during recent operations.
In a statement, the group said:
“The lives of the two detainees are in immediate danger. Israeli forces must immediately withdraw south of Street 8 and suspend air operations for 24 hours starting at 18:00 today to facilitate rescue attempts.”
Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US and EU, said the loss of contact with the hostages occurred during intensified air and ground operations in two southern neighborhoods over the past 48 hours.
Displaced Palestinians continue to flee northern Gaza, traveling on foot and by vehicle along the coastal road toward southern Gaza, carrying their belongings.
In previous incidents, Hamas temporarily lost contact with Israeli-American hostages, some of whom were released a few days later.
Since the start of the Gaza offensive, the Israeli army has repeatedly instructed Palestinians to move south for their safety.
Speaking at the United Nations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed that Israel will “finish the job” against Hamas despite international criticism over the intensified offensive.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza stems from Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,219 Israelis, mostly civilians, according to AFP based on official data.
Of the 251 people abducted during the attack, 47 remain detained in Gaza, including 25 whom the Israeli army considers dead.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, under Hamas control, at least 66,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory operations—a figure considered reliable by the United Nations.
