‘Anxiety’ Plagues Israeli Hostage Families Amid Army Assaults in Gaza, Reports Reuters

By Rami Amichay

TEL AVIV, Israel (Reuters) – The families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip are engulfed in worry for their loved ones as military operations intensify in the region, according to statements from a family advocacy group.

"This night was the most terrible of all nights… against the backdrop of the major IDF (Israel Defense Forces) operation in the Strip," said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in a recent statement.

The group expressed concerns that the hostages, detained by Hamas, are enduring the same intense bombardment as local residents, leading to heightened "anxiety and frustration" over the potential dangers that an expanded ground invasion could bring.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with several families, and in a video released by his office, emphasized that the recovery of hostages is a key objective of military actions. "Pressure is key. The greater the pressure, the greater the chances," he noted.

In a demonstration outside Israel’s defense headquarters in Tel Aviv, many gathered, holding photos of the captives and chanting for their immediate return.

Meirav Leshem Gonen, whose daughter Romi was allegedly kidnapped during the Nova music festival, stressed that any military strategy must take into account the safety of the hostages, who have been out of contact for three weeks. "We are scared, we are worried. Where are they? What’s happening with them? Who is taking care of them? We heard about tanks going in, and we are all concerned," she said.

She described the encounter with Netanyahu as challenging, and conveyed that the families feel that a potential swap deal—exchanging all Palestinian prisoners in Israel for all hostages—might gain substantial public backing.

Israel has intensified bombardments of the Gaza Strip, which has been controlled by Hamas, following a deadly attack by the group on October 7 that targeted military outposts and civilian areas, resulting in the deaths of 1,400 people, most of whom were civilians.

Hamas took over 200 hostages, including children, during its attacks. While the group has released four hostages so far, it claimed that recent Israeli bombings had killed another 50 hostages, a statement that has not been independently verified.

According to Palestinian health officials, Israeli airstrikes and artillery assaults have devastated large areas of Gaza, resulting in more than 7,000 fatalities over the last three weeks, including approximately 3,000 children.

On Saturday, Israel announced that it had escalated its ground operations in Gaza overnight amidst power and internet outages in the region, stating that forces were still engaged in combat, though details were sparse.

Moreover, Israel indicated earlier this week that more than half of the hostages held by Hamas possess foreign passports from 25 different countries, with many believed to have dual Israeli nationality.

The hostages are thought to be concealed in the Gaza Strip, possibly hidden within a network of tunnels constructed by Hamas.