Israeli security take position as a car approaches on a road following a mass infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, near Sderot in southern Israel, Oct. 8, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

i24 News — Hamas claimed to have over 100 Israeli civilians and soldiers held hostage in the Gaza Strip, which was confirmed by Israel and the US but not as the exact number.

The terrorist group said it is holding “far more than [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu thinks.” Hamas further claimed that the 163 people in its hands were “dispersed in tunnels throughout the Gaza Strip.”

At the same time, a White House official described the situation as “entire families kidnapped, including children.” The Israeli security apparatus admitted that the situation was unprecedented, and even Hamas had been surprised by the ease with which it managed to kidnap such a large number of people.

Terrifying images relayed by Hamas, showing the kidnapping of young Israelis and elderly people from southern communities, caused shock and awe throughout the country. A search center was set up by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), while many families remained without news of their loved ones well into the night.

While Netanyahu promised to wage a strong war of retaliation against Hamas, the presence of hostages in the Gaza Strip will undeniably complicate the army’s operations. So much so that Israel must necessarily expect a “long and difficult” operation, in the words of the premier.

The terrorist organization said it intends to use the civilians as potential human shields to its advantage, stating that any Israeli incursion into Gaza would have “direct consequences on the hostages.”

The hostages would also be a very powerful bargaining chip. A single kidnapped IDF soldier, Gilad Shalit, enabled Hamas to negotiate the release of over a thousand Palestinian detainees imprisoned by Israel in 2005.