Israeli intelligence lacks information on hostages in Gaza: Media

JERUSALEM

Israel has no information on the whereabouts of its hostages in Gaza, a situation that is significantly influencing its military operations in the territory, according to a report Wednesday by official media.

Despite nearly 14 months passing since the Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, Israeli forces have yet to determine where the hostages are being held in Gaza, said Israel’s public broadcaster KAN.

This lack of intelligence is shaping the nature of both air and ground operations in the region, with military sources expressing concern about inadvertently harming hostages, it added.

The military operations are constrained by the absence of actionable intelligence on the hostages, the broadcaster cited unnamed Israeli security officials as saying.

This limitation has become evident in recent military actions, where concerns about the hostages' safety have led to adjustments in operational tactics, the officials added.

The report also said that the political leadership sees that Hamas has instructed its fighters to kill hostages if Israeli forces come close to their locations.

On Wednesday, Israel announced the recovery of one hostage’s remains from Gaza, leaving around 100 hostages still believed to be held in the enclave, according to Israeli estimates.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli military reported that six hostages were killed in Khan Younis during an airstrike in February, claiming that they were slain by their captors. Their bodies were recovered in August in a joint operation with Israel's Shin Bet security agency.

Reacting to the findings, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a statement.

“The hearts of Israelis can no longer bear the endless sorrow and pain. The military investigation underscores the urgency of bringing all hostages back home,” it said.

On Monday, Hamas said that 33 Israeli hostages have been killed, most of them during Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 2023.

Israel launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following an attack by Hamas in October 2023, killing more than 44,530 people, most of them women and children, and injuring over 105,500.

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

Last month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) 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.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio