Israelis overnight say on social media that they received calls with recorded messages of hostages begging for help to be released, with sounds of sirens and explosions in the background from unknown phone numbers.
The voices of hostages were taken from Hamas propaganda videos of the captives.
In one of the reported calls, a person can be heard saying, “There are hostages in Gaza, why are you waiting?”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum says in a statement that the calls were not made on their behalf.
The National Cyber Directorate is investigating the calls, which came from numbers including 0747375311, 0799444000 and 0722604986, and advises the public to block the numbers.
It says the calls are “attempts to create panic among the public.”
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this