The attack by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas on Israel began around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday (3:30 GMT) and included the kidnapping of people in several border towns with the Gaza Strip. A group of militiamen from the Al Qasam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, claimed to have kidnapped the bodies of several Israeli soldiers killed and wounded in clashes and confirmed that they have several civilians captive, captured during their land incursion into southern Israel.
Various videos circulated on social networks showing how several women were kidnapped and, As reported Washington Post, one of them could be identified by her relatives.
Tom Weintraub Louk, 30, revealed to the American newspaper that his first cousin, Shani Louk, who is in her early 20s, was missing after a group of terrorists raided an outdoor party near Kibbutz Urim on Saturday morning. Upon news of that attack, relatives tried to contact Shani, who was at the scene, but received no response. In addition, they could not communicate with her boyfriend of Mexican nationality.
Hours later, when videos of the hostage taking began to circulate, another cousin recognized Shani in one of them: he was the young woman who was in the back of a truck, surrounded by armed militiamen. Although Louk avoided watching the video, Shani’s parents confirmed that it was her. “We recognized her by her tattoos and her long dreadlocks.”they stated.
The family is still waiting for more news and maintains cautious hope. Louk blames Hamas for the situation of Shani and the other missing people.
Palestinian militants claimed and spread images of the kidnapping of several Israelis.
“There are soldiers and civilians kidnapped. I cannot give figures at this time. He is a war crime committed by Hamas and they will pay the consequences,” admitted Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari.
The head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, proclaimed on the television network Al Aqsa –led by the armed group – which envisioned a “great victory” in the operation it called “Al Aqsa Flood.”
Israel reported that these terrorist attacks left more than 250 dead and accused Hamas of committing massacres against civilians in their own homes.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu He stated that his country’s Army will use “all its power” to destroy Hamas, and urged Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip, warning that will reduce the militiamen’s hiding places “to rubble.”
(With information from AFP and EFE)
Source-www.infobae.com