Israel admits that only fraction of stripped Palestinian detainees were Hamas members

By Bekir Aydogan

ERBIL, Iraq (AA) - Israeli security forces acknowledged Tuesday that only 10%-15% of the Palestinians they recently detained whose photos showing them in handcuffs and stripped to their underwear made headlines globally were actually affiliated with Hamas.

They also noted in a statement that Palestinians who were not members of Hamas were released.

In addition, according to sources, it was noted that this situation does not mean that all units of Hamas surrendered en masse and handed over their weapons to Israeli security forces.

Despite this, Israeli security officials insist that the photos of the detainees published online have a strong impact on the motivation of members of the organization still fighting in Gaza, they said.

Images of dozens of Palestinian men who were rounded up by Israeli soldiers and stripped to their underwear have been circulating on social media.

Palestinian journalist Diaa Al-Kahlout, chief bureau correspondent for the Qatari-funded London-based pan-Arab newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, was among those arrested and searched.

Israel resumed its military offensive against the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1 after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group Hamas.

It has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 18,412, the Health Ministry in the enclave said Tuesday.

Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said 50,100 people have been injured in the Israeli onslaught.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.