U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented on Monday regarding the duration that Israeli captives have spent in the Gaza Strip, expressing his sympathy for them as they marked 100 days in captivity. However, he notably omitted any discussion of the dire situation facing over 2.3 million Palestinians in the territory.
In a post on his X platform account, Blinken stated, “100 days of captivity in Gaza is far too long.”
He stressed that “the United States will not rest until all remaining hostages are reunited with their loved ones, including the six Americans” held in Gaza.
Blinken’s statements neglected to address the catastrophic humanitarian conditions experienced by more than 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who live under the consequences of war. Approximately 25,000 people have been killed in Gaza during the 100 days of Israeli aggression against the territory, along with more than 60,000 others injured, most of whom are children and women.
The spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Abu Ubaida, announced in an address broadcasted by Al Jazeera the previous day that the fate of several Israeli prisoners in Gaza “has become unknown in recent weeks”. He speculated that some may have recently died due to Israeli bombing.
On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian resistance led by the Al-Qassam Brigades carried out an attack on settlements around the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis, with about 5,431 injured, and at least 239 captured.
Israel estimates that 137 of its captives are still being held by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, according to media reports and statements from Israeli officials.
