In the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Israeli military officials have reported that over a fifth of the nearly 140 hostages held by Hamas are now deceased, with fears that at least 20 more may have also lost their lives.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) recently revised the hostage count from 132 to 136 following an internal assessment. Intelligence officers have concluded that a minimum of 32 hostages have perished since the onset of the war, as disclosed to the New York Times by four Israeli military officials.
The majority of the confirmed deceased hostages are believed to have been victims of the initial terrorist attack on October 7, which resulted in the death of over 1,200 Israelis. Military sources have also indicated that "unconfirmed intelligence" suggests the possibility of an additional 20 hostages having been killed either during the October 7 attack or during their captivity.
The families of the 32 deceased hostages have been notified of their tragic loss. However, it remains uncertain whether the increase in the hostage count from 132 to 136 includes Israeli citizens Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who vanished in Gaza seven years ago, and the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, who were killed in 2014.
These grim estimates from Israel coincide with the arrival of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Cairo on Tuesday, aimed at facilitating negotiations for an Israel-Hamas truce that would secure the release of the remaining hostages.
The US, Egypt, and Qatar have been advocating for a cease-fire deal in recent weeks. The proposed deal involves a several-week-long pause in Gaza, allowing Hamas to safely release the hostages in exchange for the liberation of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
The proposed deal has been presented to Israeli and Hamas leaders, who are currently deliberating over the details. While in Cairo, Blinken is expected to receive an update on Hamas' response, as their leadership has also gathered in Egypt to discuss the terms of the deal.
Hamas has previously stated that it will not release the hostages until Israel frees all of its Palestinian prisoners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has countered that he will not release thousands of prisoners in exchange for the hostages.
Netanyahu has also dismissed proposals for a peaceful resolution to the war, asserting that the conflict in Gaza will only cease once the Hamas terror group is eradicated.
However, the Prime Minister's stance appears to be in conflict with the sentiments of many Israelis. A recent poll conducted by the Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research at the Israel Democracy Institute revealed that a majority of citizens want their country to prioritize the release of the hostages over defeating Hamas.
The poll, which surveyed over 760 people and was published on Tuesday, showed that approximately 51% believed the primary objective of the war should be to free the hostages in Gaza, while only around a third believed that defeating Hamas should be the priority.
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