Hamas says it has captured senior Israeli officers as at least 50 civilians are taken hostage

Major General Nimrod Aloni is one of the senior IDF commanders in charge of special forces operations.

Hamas says it is holding Israeli commanders hostage amid reports that 50 civilians are being held by militants at a kibbutz near the Gaza border.

Hamas deputy politburo chief Saleh al-Arouri said that “senior officers” had been captured.

“What is in our hands will free all prisoners” in Israel, he told Al Jazeera Arabic, presumably referring to Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

“We have captured senior officers of the occupation army,” he told Al Jazeera Arabic. – he added.

“Many Palestinians have been killed and many Israelis have been killed and captured, and the battle is still at its peak.”

Hamas militants are reported to have captured senior Israeli military officer Maj. Gen. Nimrod Aloni, a former division commander Israeli Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip, with photographs posted on social media allegedly showing him being led through the streets in a T-shirt and underwear.< /p>

However, the IDF later denied the capture of Major General .

Israel's N12 network reported that about 50 Israeli civilians were kidnapped by Hamas militants.

The hostages were reported to have been taken from Kibbutz Beeri, on the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, and Netiv HaAsara, to the north.

p>

Israeli broadcaster Reshet 13 TV News reported that militants were holding Israelis hostage in the town of Ofakim, 14 miles from Gaza's eastern border.

Hamas said some of the hostages were taken back into Palestinian territory with militants, but others were believed to be being held hostage in southern Israel.

Wall Guard

The IDF statement did not provide any further details. details of allegations that Major General Aloni was captured.

The commander was responsible for conducting Operation Wall Guardian, Israel's military response to Hamas rocket attacks on Jerusalem in the Gaza Strip in May 2021.

He also commanded the Gaza Division during Dawn – a three-day Israeli campaign of air strikes against Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) targets in August 2022.

After the operation, General Aloni announced that the IDF had disabled Hamas tunnels in southern Israel.

After the operation, General Aloni announced that the IDF had disabled Hamas tunnels in southern Israel.

p>

General Aloni's Deep Corps Command, created in 2011, is responsible for conducting special operations against Hamas targets, PIJ and Hezbollah on enemy territory.

Its goal is to hit important targets. from the front line.