More than 100 Israeli civilians and soldiers are being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the militant group launched a surprise attack on Southern Israel on Saturday.
More than 100 Israeli civilians and soldiers are still being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the militant group launched a surprise attack on Southern Israel on Saturday.
On Monday, the militant group Hamas warned that it would kill a hostage every time Israel strikes civilian targets in the enclave without warning.
Five of Abbey Onn’s close relatives, including three children, her father and grandmother, are among the hostages.
Onn, who lives in the city of Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv, told Euronews about the harrowing events that led to their capture.
“We woke early two days ago to sirens and understood that there was an attack,” she said. “And then we began getting messages from our family that Hamas was inside the kibbutz.
“They were locked inside their shelters and they could hear Hamas in their houses and shooting. And in a matter of hours, they had burned and slaughtered most of the kibbutz. And the people that they didn’t kill, they took hostage.”
More than 900 people in Israel have been killed since Saturday’s attack, Israeli authorities say. The death toll in Gaza has exceeded 560 people, according to Palestinian officials. Thousands of people on both sides have been injured.
Watch Euronews’ full report in the video player above.