Israeli authorities revise number of Gaza hostages to 138

As of Tuesday, Israeli authorities have increased the count of hostages held by Gaza militants to 138, including one individual previously considered missing since the October 7 attacks by Hamas. The updated figure was provided by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, but no details were provided regarding the 138th confirmed hostage or how Israeli authorities were able to verify their status. Earlier reports indicated that 137 hostages, including 20 women and two children, were still in the Gaza Strip, kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 attacks. The total number of people, both Israelis and foreigners, taken by the militants was reported to be around 240. These attacks resulted in 1,200 casualties, primarily civilians. In response to the situation, Israel launched a military campaign targeting Hamas, which controls Gaza. Since October 27, ground forces have been deployed into the Palestinian enclave. The ongoing violence has claimed the lives of nearly 16,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Following a seven-day truce that began in late November, 105 hostages were released. This included the release of 80 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Prior to the truce, five hostages were freed, with one rescued in an Israeli operation. With inputs from AFP