After brutal Hamas attack, Israeli rescue service retrieves 260 bodies from music festival

The Israeli rescue service Zaka on Sunday (Oct 8) confirmed that 260 dead bodies were retrieved by the paramedics from a music festival which was attended by thousands of people and later was attacked by Hamas militants.

The total death toll is likely to go higher as other paramedic teams work in the area. In the videos shared on social media platforms and by Israeli news outlets, dozens of festival goers were seen running across an open field as gunshots were fired. Many of them were gunned down as they tried to flee and some hid in the fruit orchards.

The Nature Party, which was being held near Kibbutz Re'im close to Gaza, was attended by thousands of people and became one of the first targets of Hamas militants who entered Israel on Saturday (Oct 7), and launched one of the biggest attacks on the country in decades.

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"I heard shots from every direction, they were firing at us from both sides. Everyone was running and didn't know what to do. It was total chaos,” said Arik Nani, one of the partygoers, while speaking to Reuters.

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More than 100 hostages taken including Israeli army officers, claims Hamas

According to media reports, more than 100 Israeli hostages are being held by Hamas fighters in Gaza, which include high-ranking army officers.

As per CNN, chief deputy of Hamas' political bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk, in an interview with Arabic news outlet al-Ghad TV, said that the number of Israeli hostages "hasn't been counted yet but they are over a hundred."

Speaking about the Israeli army officers being taken hostages, Marzouk said, "There are high-ranking officers.” Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad, another Palestinian armed group, on Sunday, stated that it is holding at least 30 hostages in Gaza.

Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the claims of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

According to government authorities, more than 700 people were killed in Israel by Hamas.

Around 2,300 others have suffered injuries in Gaza, while power cuts have threatened "lives of hundreds of injuries and patients," stated the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised an unprecedented response to the attack by Hamas. He said that Gaza is being continuously bombarded by Israeli jets, killing more than 400 Palestinians.

A Navy carrier strike group is being sent by the United States to the eastern Mediterranean Sea, which includes guided missile destroyers and guided missile cruisers. Meanwhile, more fighter jets are being positioned by the US in the Middle East, to act as a deterrent against Hamas in Palestine, Hezbollah in Lebanon and other militant groups fighting against Israel.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)

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