Israeli military ‘deeply distressed’ about hostages

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has released video of what it says are Hamas terrorists taking hostages into the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza.

In one video, timestamped Oct. 7, 2023, at 10:53 a.m., five men are captured on security cameras rushing a man with his T-shirt pulled over his head into the hospital. At least two of the men are carrying automatic rifles. Another man appears to be recording video of the incident.

The IDF also released a second timestamped video from two minutes later. The same hostage is seen in a different part of the hospital.

In this video, seven men, some of which are carrying automatic rifles, and appear to be arguing with each other, can be seen following an injured man on a stretcher into a hospital room.

The IDF told WTOP these two men are believed to be foreign nationals who were working in Israel.

One of the main concerns for the IDF and the families of the 240 hostages is where they are being hidden. Israeli officials believe they may be somewhere in an elaborate tunnel system which runs underneath the hospital and throughout Gaza.

WTOP national security correspondent JJ Green spoke with Maj. Libby Weiss, a spokesperson for the IDF, about the tunnels and the hostages.

Weiss said they are “deeply distressed” about the hostages.

Listen below:

WTOP national security correspondent JJ Green speaks with Libby Weiss, a spokesperson for the IDF

J.J. Green

JJ Green is WTOP's National Security Correspondent. He reports daily on security, intelligence, foreign policy, terrorism and cyber developments, and provides regular on-air and online analysis. He is also the host of two podcasts: Target USA and Colors: A Dialogue on Race in America.

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