Hamas alleges that Israeli operation resulted in the death of a hostage

The military wing of Hamas has shared a video showing the aftermath of an unsuccessful Israeli operation aimed at rescuing an Israeli hostage. The footage features a man claiming to have been held captive for 40 days, suggesting that the video was possibly recorded in mid-November. The video reveals a significant amount of blood on a tiled floor and showcases military equipment, which Hamas alleges to have seized. The video concludes with distressing images of a bloodied body that appears to be the same hostage seen earlier. The man's identity and age are not disclosed in the video. An Arabic script in the video claims that Israeli soldiers were unable to reach the hostage, resulting in his death, and that the Israeli team swiftly fled the location. Hamas also asserts that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) used an ambulance to access the hostage's location. The BBC hasn't authenticated the video or received confirmation of the claims made by Hamas. During a briefing, chief IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed that two Israeli soldiers suffered severe injuries in Gaza operations aimed at freeing hostages. He mentioned the elimination of terrorists involved in kidnappings but said no hostages had been released. It remains unclear if Hagari was referring to the incident depicted in the Hamas video or a separate event. The IDF initiated its military campaign in Gaza following a deadly Hamas attack on Israel in early October. According to Israel, the Hamas assault resulted in 1,200 deaths and 240 individuals being held captive. While a few hostages were released during a temporary ceasefire, those stated by Hamas to be linked with the Israeli military were not among them. Hamas alleges that Israel's retaliatory campaign has led to the killings of over 17,177 individuals, including roughly 7,000 children.