The Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli army, Herzi Halevi, warned last night that the fighting in the Gaza Strip will continue if there is no deal for the release of the hostages kidnapped on October 7, 2023, reported DPA, quoted by BTA.
"I believe that in the coming days we will find out whether we can reach an agreement for the release of our hostages. If this does not happen, the fighting will continue without a break," he said during a visit to the troops in Gaza.
According to official Israeli data, there are still 50 hostages in the Gaza Strip, and it has been confirmed that at least 20 of them are alive. Their relatives fear that the continuation of the war could endanger their lives and worsen the conditions in which they are being held.
The war in Gaza was triggered by an unprecedented attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, when terrorists from the Palestinian group “Hamas“ and other Islamists killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250.
Israel responded with massive air strikes and a ground offensive. According to health authorities controlled by “Hamas“, more than 60,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began. According to UN reports, Gaza faces the threat of famine.