An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed that there were “hostage situations” in the southern city of Ofakim and the nearby kibbutz of Beeri.
Hamas said it had taken “dozens” of Israeli soldiers hostage and moved them to the Gaza Strip as footage emerged appearing to show gunmen in military fatigues leading a group of mostly barefoot women down a street in Israel.
The announcement and video verified by NBC News came hours after Hamas launched a deadly land, air and sea attack and fired a huge barrage of rockets at Israel.
I believe my people have a claim to the land of Israel because our ancestors live there—we didn’t live there because God says though, we lived there because we actually lived there, and there is no shortage of evidence in this matter, there is no room for doubt—and because my people have a right to self-determination in their homeland, as all other people everywhere do, and because my people have been ostracized and oppressed and killed in every other place we’ve attempted to make our homes in, and because our safety is not conditioned on your approval.