After conducting a series of interrogations of captured Hamas militants, the Israeli police and the Israel Securities Authority (ISA) said the fighters who were involved in the attacks on Southern Israel on Oct. 7 were told to kidnap civilians in exchange for shelter and financial compensation.
The ISA released video footage of the interrogations featuring six captured fighters from Hamas' military wing "Al-Qassam" and the group's special forces unit "Nukhba," detailing their personal accounts of the Oct. 7 attacks.
Hamas or the "Islamic Resistance Movement," is a political and military organization that has de-facto control over Gaza since 2007. Led by Chief Ismail Haniyeh who is based in Qatar, the group supposedly operates as part of the Palestinian liberation movement.
The group said it fired 5,000 rockets in its Oct. 7 offensive named "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood," as it sought to wage a "battle to liberate our land and our prisoners languishing in occupation prisons".
All six fighters interviewed similarly shared supposed instructions by their leaders to infiltrate the Sufa military outposts, then proceed to raid the nearby "kibbutz" or community residential settlements.
One fighter said that they received instructions to "cleanse the houses and kidnap as many as possible."
"In Gaza, whoever brings the kidnapped or captured gets a stipend. An apartment and US$10,000 per capture," he said, noting this was the current order imposed by the company commander of the Al-Qassam Brigade.
Another fighter identified as a department commander of Hamas, said the order regarding civilians was "killing the men, and capturing the women, the elderly, and the children."
They said they shot unarmed civilians during the raid, with some fighters "breaking windows and doors and throwing grenades in houses."
Meanwhile, another fighter said the senior commanders of the military wing of Hamas "tricked and fooled them."
"They sat in their homes, and left us here. They left us inside (of Israel). Those in Qatar and Turkey, they speak in the name of al Aqsa and the Muslims, and they stay there while they sent us here," he said.
"They're there while their families are being bombed in Gaza," he added.
Another fighter who described himself as a Hamas activist and team leader in the Qassam said "the leadership (heads of Hamas) abandoned us."
The ISA said that all the fighters "provided valuable information that was used and will be used to attack targets in the Gaza Strip."
"The Security Forces of the State of Israel will settle all accounts with all terrorists who participated in the massacre on Nov. 7," the agency added.
Freed hostages
As of Oct. 24, four women who were captured by Hamas have been freed by the militant group for "compelling humanitarian reasons."
However, the two recently freed hostages, 85 and 79-year-old women, said their husbands remain in captivity along with over 200 others in Gaza.
Speaking to reporters at the Tel Aviv hospital after being brought there for medical treatment, the 85-year-old hostage identified as Yocheved Lifshitz said she "went through hell," and Hamas fighters "rampaged their kibbutz, kidnapped her, and laid her on their motorcycle, beating her on the way."
However, she highlighted that their captors "treated us well," saying "a doctor visited her and other hostages every two to three days and gave medicines."
Lifshitz said their captors "seemed ready and prepared for a long time" including necessities like shampoo. The hostages also ate the same food as their captors, she added.
The release of hostages was facilitated by the International Red Cross (ICRC) with the support and mediation by officials of Qatar and Egypt.
Other countries like Russia, Turkey, and France who have reported citizens among the hostages are also continuing their diplomatic efforts in negotiating their release.
Rising death toll
According to Israeli authorities, 1,400 people were killed in the recent Hamas attacks in Southern Israel, deemed the "worst attack in recent years."
Notably, four Filipinos -- three women and one man -- were confirmed dead by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) due to the Hamas attacks.
The Hamas attacks were followed by an ongoing barrage of air raids and bombings by the Israeli military on the Gaza Strip that has killed over 5,791 people in Gaza including more than 2,000 children and about 1,400 women majority civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.
According to the United Nations, 1.4 million Palestians, majority civilians out of the 2.4 million population, mostly children, have been displaced within the area. Nearly 590,000 are taking shelter in schools and other buildings that are still standing.
As of Oct. 24, the 136 Filipinos in Gaza are all safe and accounted for, as per the Philippine Ambassador to Jordan Wilfredo Santos. They are awaiting repatriation to the Philippines upon the opening of the Rafah Border Crossing from Gaza to Egypt.
The Israeli government has also announced its plans for a total siege of the Palestinian enclave, previously ordering all Palestinians to evacuate within 24 hours.
Foreign analysts have said that the siege has been delayed due to "international pressure, political-military divisions and concerns over hostages."
Israel has also simultaneously cut most of Gaza's water, electricity, fuel, and limited its access to food supplies.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said the fuel shortage may significantly grind their and other organizations' operations to a halt, preventing much needed humanitarian aid to reach the Palestinians.
Last Oct. 21, some 20 aid trucks carrying medicine and food supplies were finally allowed to enter Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. However, the crossing is still limited to humanitarian aid.
The crossing remains sealed as Egypt is still not allowing Palestians from Gaza or foreign nations to exit Gaza through Rafah due to security concerns.
Calls for ceasefire
As the relentless bombings continue to bombard the Gaza Strip, some officials and members of the global public have called on all parties for a ceasefire, citing the grave casualties and crisis currently experienced by Palestinians in Gaza.
In a UN meeting, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the area.
"The protection of civilians is paramount in any armed conflict. Protection of civilians can never mean using them as human shields. Protecting civilians does not mean ordering more than one million people evacuating to the south where there is no food, shelter, water, medicine, and fuel, and then continue to bomb the south itself," said Gutteres.
"I am deeply concerned about the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza. Let me be clear: No party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law," he added.
However, USA officials like National Security Council spokesman John Kirby remain adamant that "a ceasefire right now really only benefits Hamas."
Large crowds of people across the United States of America (US), the United Kingdom (UK), France, India, Australia, Switzerland, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, Lebanon, Tunisia, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Indonesia, and the Philippines have staged rallies calling for a "Free Palestine," and to "stop the genocide of Palestinians."
The US protests include the participation of Jewish peace advocates like Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, which are both among the largest Jewish groups based in the US.
In the Philippines, the Muslim community in Cagayan De Oro held a solidarity walk supporting the Palestinian cause on Oct. 22. Led by the Muslim Youth Council (MYC) in the province, they said they "stand for peace globally."
Last Oct. 10, Marawi residents also expressed their call to "end the Israeli air strikes on Gaza," sharing their experiences during the 2017 Marawi siege.
Meanwhile, prayer vigils in the US, Brazil, and the Philippines have been conducted to commemorate the victims of the attacks in Israel. (with reports from AFP)