ISTANBUL

Hamas’s armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, said Saturday that 60 Israeli hostages have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7.

Spokesman Abu Obeida said after search operations, "still there are 23 bodies (of hostages) lost under the rubble."

"It seems we won't be able to reach them due to the ongoing brutal aggression by the occupation on Gaza," Abu Obeida added.

Al-Qassam Brigades said in an earlier statement that it is holding 200 - 250 hostages, including soldiers and civilians.

The Israeli army said there are 242 Israelis held in Gaza by the Palestinian resistance group.

Qatar is leading mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel.

The Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani warned on Saturday that Israeli airstrikes on Gaza complicate the possibility of releasing prisoners.

The Israeli army has widened its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since a surprise offensive by Hamas on Oct. 7.

“The death toll as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7 is 9,500, including 3,900 children and 2,509 women,” Salama Marouf, the head of the Gaza Media Office, said at a news conference.

Nearly 1,540 Israelis have been killed.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar