Kicking off a “day of disruption” planned by protest groups, activists gather at Kibbutz Or Haner near the Gaza border to release black and yellow balloons marking nine months since Hamas’s October 7 massacre.
The balloons are released from signs representing the southern communities attacked on October 7, when thousands of terrorists burst across the border into Israel by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages, mostly civilians, many amid acts of brutality and sexual assault.
It is believed that 116 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza — not all of them alive — after 105 civilians were released from Hamas captivity during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released prior to that. Seven hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 19 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military.
The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 42 of those still held by Hamas, citing new intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza.
One more person is listed as missing since October 7, and their fate is still unknown.
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, July 7, 2024
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