Palestinians say over 130 Israelis held captive after Hamas attack

By Anadolu staff

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – Palestinian groups said late Sunday that more than 130 Israelis are being held captive in the Gaza Strip following a surprise attack by Hamas fighters on Israeli towns.

Musa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas member, said his group is holding more than 100 Israelis.

“Senior Israeli officers are among those being held,” Abu Marzouk told the Arabic language news outlet al-Ghad.

The Islamic Jihad movement said its fighters are holding more than 30 Israelis.

Those abducted "will not be returned home except in exchange for the release of prisoners," said Ziyad al-Nakhalah, secretary-general of Islamic Jihad.

"It is quite clear that the enemy is broken. Already in the early hours, he begged for assistance from his first ally, the United States, which is the chief of villains in the world,” he added.

On Sunday, Israel’s Government Press Office, which operates under the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, said the number of hostages in Gaza was over 100.

Hamas launched its biggest attack on Israel in decades on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets and sending fighters who infiltrated Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian group says its attack was in response to Israeli violations in the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence.

At least 700 Israelis have been killed and more than 2,300 others wounded in the attack, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.

Israel retaliated with a series of airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 410 Palestinians and injuring at least 2,300 others.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to use all of Israel’s strength to destroy Hamas’ capabilities and “take revenge for this black day.”