On Wednesday, a Wall Street Journal report cited by the Times of Israel asserted that many of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas since the October 7th, 2023, terror attacks have died. The report cites Israel Defense Forces air strikes, the use of hostages as human shields by Hamas, and failing health as likely reasons for the deaths.

While the IDF has confirmed the deaths of 34 of the 129 remaining hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7, citing intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza, the report said that “Israeli and American officials estimate privately that the number of deaths could be much higher.”

Some US estimates indicate that most of the hostages are already dead, American officials familiar with the intelligence told the paper, while stressing that US information on the hostages is limited and depends in part on Israeli intel.

The report comes amid ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

US officials quoted in the report said that some of the hostages had likely been killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza amid the ongoing war, while others had died of health issues, including injuries suffered during their abduction.

Officials believe hostages who are still alive are being used as human shields surrounding the group’s leadership, hidden deep in Gaza tunnels, the report said.

This isn't just a problem for Israel. It's important to note that Hamas has supporters right here in the United States.

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In an update released Wednesday, the Times of Israel reported that Hamas was refusing an offer that entailed them releasing 40 captives, and their reasons for the refusal are, candidly, troubling.

According to the reports, Hamas has claimed it in order to do so, it would have to release male Israeli troops, as the terror group isn’t in possession of 40 living elderly, women and female soldiers. Hamas however is refusing to free any male soldiers it captured on October 7 and wants to release fewer than 40 hostages, the Kan public broadcaster says, while describing the issue as the biggest obstacle in the ongoing negotiations.

Hamas is using these hostages, many of them innocent civilians, as bargaining chips. This of course violates every recognized law of war, but Hamas has been violating every recognized law of war since their inception. Israel, on the other hand, has historically been willing to trade its own captives, overwhelmingly convicted criminals, at wildly inflated ratios to get its own people back. The treatment of Hamas' hostages, on the other hand, has been uncivilized at best, and savage at worst. Released Hamas hostage Amit Soussana, an Israeli woman who spoke publicly about her time in captivity, described being chained by the ankle, and suffering a sexual assault and other violent attacks at the hands of her captors.

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