16-1-2024 (GAZA) Hamas has presented what appears to be the lifeless bodies of two Israeli hostages, Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itai Svirsky, 38, in a newly released video on Monday (Jan 15). The group had previously warned Israel that the hostages might face dire consequences if the bombardment of Gaza persisted.
A chilling video, purportedly showcasing the deceased hostages, also featured a third Israeli captive, Noa Argamani, 26, reading a script in front of a blank white wall. Argamani claimed that Sharabi and Svirsky were killed by Israeli strikes.
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari expressed serious concern about the hostages’ fate portrayed in the video. However, he refuted Hamas’ claim that Svirsky was killed by Israeli forces, stating, “Itai was not shot by our forces. That is a Hamas lie. The building in which they were held was not a target and it was not attacked by our forces.”
???? BREAKING: HAMAS ANSWER THEIR GUESSING GAME VIDEO
The latest update from Hamas claims that two of the three hostages featured in their previous video are dead as a result of the Israeli bombing of Gaza.
The surviving hostage, Noa Argamani: “Stop this madness and bring us home… pic.twitter.com/HyQhthVuO7
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 15, 2024
The hostages, part of the 240 individuals abducted by Hamas militants during a surprise cross-border raid into southern Israel on Oct 7, have been a source of ongoing tension. Although around half were released during a brief November truce, Israel contends that 132 hostages remain in Gaza, with 25 reported dead while in captivity.
Hamas had previously featured the three Israelis in a video on Sunday, urging the Israeli government to cease its aerial and ground offensive to secure their release. The video concluded with the ominous caption, “Tomorrow (Monday) we will inform you of their fate.”
Despite Hamas’ public messaging, Israeli officials have generally refrained from responding. Forensic examinations of recovered hostages, whose causes of death contradicted Hamas’ account of air strikes, have added to the complexity of verifying events.
As night fell, reports from residents indicated an intensification of Israeli planes and tanks bombardment across Gaza. In Al-Bureij, central Gaza, medics reported four casualties from an Israeli missile strike, while two more were killed in the Tel Al-Hawa suburb of Gaza City.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, speaking during the latest hostage video, suggested that intense military operations in southern Gaza were concluding. However, he emphasized that Hamas would likely not release more hostages without continued military pressure.
The conflict, ongoing since the Oct 7 Hamas assault, has taken a heavy toll on Gaza. Health officials estimate around 24,100 casualties and nearly 61,000 injuries. Despite Israel’s announcement of a shift to a more targeted phase, with a withdrawal of troops from some areas, reports suggest little respite in the intensity of the offensive.
The humanitarian crisis continues to escalate, with almost two million displaced people in southern Gaza facing increased risks of starvation and disease due to shortages of food, fuel, and medicines.
Beyond Gaza, the conflict’s impact reverberated in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and reached into Israel itself. Coordinated car-ramming incidents in Raanana resulted in one fatality and 12 injuries. Two suspects from Hebron in the West Bank were reportedly involved.
Hamas’ political unit in exile claimed a connection between these incidents and Israeli “crimes,” citing them as evidence of the conflict’s expansion. Violence in the West Bank has also surged, with 351 reported deaths as Israeli raids target militants.
