Hamas Claims: 9 Hostages Killed in Israeli Airstrikes

The military wing of Hamas claimed that in the bombings over the past 24 hours in the Gaza Strip by Israel, 9 hostages, including four foreigners, were killed. According to the 'Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades', the hostages were killed when the Israeli army attacked the areas where they were being held. This claim was made a day after Hamas stated that 13 hostages had been killed in Israeli airstrikes. The Times of Israel emphasized in its report that this claim cannot be independently verified. Israel has dismissed similar previous claims as propaganda and stated that it has its own intelligence. According to the report, Hamas militants took approximately 150 to 200 hostages during the attack on October 7 on southern Israel and military posts around Gaza, some of whom are elderly or children. Israel has announced that it will not allow any humanitarian aid into Gaza until all hostages are released. U.S. President Joe Biden, a few days after Hamas's attacks on Israel, stated in a televised speech referring to the severe violence of Hamas against civilians that Hamas is 'bloodthirsty' and worse than ISIS, claiming that Hamas's goal is to kill Jewish people. Secretary of State Blinken in Riyadh: Hamas's only directive is 'the destruction of the State of Israel and the killing of Jews'. Saudi Arabia has called for an urgent meeting of the foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Israel reported an attack on infiltrating militants from Lebanon. The Israeli army claims to have killed one of the Hamas commanders in last night's attacks. Israel states that many Palestinian civilians are moving southward.