On Friday, Hamas’ armed wing said that at least 13 Israeli and foreign hostages held in the northern Gaza Strip have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in the past 24 hours.
In a shock assault early on Saturday, the Palestinian militants Hamas attacked Israeli communities near the Gaza border and fired barrages of rockets, in an invasion that claimed more than 1,200 lives.
Hamas has taken more than 150 people hostage, including both civilians and security forces, Israel said.
the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement that “Thirteen prisoners… including foreigners” were killed in five locations targeted by Israeli fighter jets.
Israel has showered air and artillery strikes on the blockaded Gaza Strip – a heavily populated enclave of 2.4 million people – flattening buildings and killing more than 1,500 people.
At least 500 children are among the dead, according to the Hamas media office in Gaza.
The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades had cautioned this week that “every targeting of our people without warning will be met with the execution of one of the civilian hostages.”
