Daily Times

Palestinian group Hamas said Monday that 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza have been killed, mostly due to Israeli airstrikes since Oct. 7 last year.

In a video posted on Telegram, the resistance group stated that “33 Israeli prisoners were killed, and some of their whereabouts remain unknown because of (Israeli) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions and obstinacy.”

The group warned that continued Israeli aggression would increase the death toll among Israeli hostages. “With your relentless war, you may lose your prisoners forever. Do what you must before it’s too late.”

Hamas detailed several incidents, including the deaths of four hostages and their captors on Oct. 9, 2023, and nine others on Oct. 14, 2023, as a result of intensive Israeli bombing.

Another hostage was reported to have been killed on Dec. 8, 2023, during an Israeli operation attempting to rescue a captive soldier, who died as a result.

The group also said that seven hostages were killed on March 1, 2024, after weeks of losing contact with their captors, while three others were killed in an Israeli massacre in Gaza on June 9, 2024.

Additionally, a hostage was reportedly killed by a guard, and two others were seriously injured in August.

On Sept. 2, 2024, Hamas added in the statement, six prisoners were killed in an Israeli operation in Rafah, with their bodies later recovered from a tunnel by Israel.

The group also noted the deaths of two woman hostages in northern Gaza, one on Oct. 21, 2024, and the other on Nov. 21, 2024, due to ongoing Israeli military operations.

Israel estimates that there are currently 101 Israeli prisoners held in Gaza.

Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack last October, killing more than 44,400 people, most of them women and children, and injuring over 105,000.

The second year of the genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with officials and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.

On Nov. 21, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.

Gaza now holds the tragic distinction of having the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world, according to the United Nations. This follows over a year of devastating conflict between Israel and Palestinian factions in the enclave.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made the statement on Monday, addressing a Cairo conference aimed at accelerating humanitarian aid to Gaza. His remarks, delivered by his deputy, described the situation in Gaza as “appalling and apocalyptic”. Guterres highlighted that many children in Gaza have lost limbs and undergone surgeries without anaesthesia, underscoring the extreme suffering faced by the population.

“The war has left Gaza with the highest number of child amputees per capita anywhere in the world,” Guterres said. “Many children are losing limbs without even anaesthesia.”

Guterres also warned that the conditions in Gaza may amount to the “gravest international crimes”. He pointed to the widespread malnutrition and imminent famine, stressing the collapse of Gaza’s health system. “Malnutrition is rampant… Famine is imminent. Meanwhile, the health system has collapsed,” he said.

The UN Secretary-General also condemned the severe restrictions on aid delivery, calling the current levels of aid “grossly insufficient”. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), only 65 aid trucks per day were able to enter Gaza in the past month, compared to the pre-war average of 500.

International aid agencies have repeatedly sounded the alarm over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, warning that civilians are on the brink of famine. The volume of aid reaching the territory has dropped significantly since the onset of the Israeli offensive.

Israel, which imposed a complete siege on Gaza early in the conflict, has blamed the problems with aid on the inability of relief organisations to handle and distribute the large quantities of supplies. However, Guterres argued that the crisis is not about logistics but “a crisis of political will and of respect for fundamental principles of international humanitarian law”.

He criticised the continued blockade, stating, “The blockade of aid to Gaza is not a crisis of logistics, but a crisis of political will.”

UNRWA reported that all of its attempts to deliver aid into northern Gaza between October 6 and November 25 had either been “denied” or “impeded”, with fierce fighting in the area making it increasingly difficult to reach those in need.

Guterres reiterated that UNRWA plays an “irreplaceable” role in providing vital services to millions of Palestinians. He added, “If UNRWA is forced to close, the responsibility of replacing its vital services would rest with Israel.”

As the war continues, the international community faces growing calls for action to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.