Hamas armed wing says seven hostages killed in Gaza

Seven hostages who have been held in Gaza were killed as a result of the Israeli military’s bombardment of the enclave, Abu Obaida, the spokesperson for Hamas’s armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, said on Friday, Reuter’s reports.

It was not immediately clear when the seven died.

The Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed that the number of hostages killed due to Israel’s military operations in Gaza has now exceeded 70 captives, Abu Obaida added in a statement on Telegram.

Israel’s military campaign follows Hamas’s killing of 1,200 people in southern Israel and the abduction of at least 250 on 7 October, according to Israeli tallies.

However, since then, it has been revealed by Haaretz that helicopters and tanks of the Israeli army had, in fact, killed many of the 1,139 soldiers and civilians claimed by Israel to have been killed by the Palestinian Resistance.

Israel has responded with a military assault on the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

During a week-long truce in late November, Hamas freed more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages in exchange for Israel releasing about 240 Palestinian prisoners.

WATCH: Israeli settlers enter Erez crossing advocating for settlement expansion