Hamas representative says Israeli hostages include Russian citizens

Senior Hamas representative Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook said in an interview with Al Jazeera on Monday that the militant group has taken “dozens” of Israelis hostage, including people who also have citizenship in countries such as Russia and China.

Marzook also said that Hamas is open to discussing a possible truce with Israel as the group has now “achieved its aims.”

Earlier, representatives of Hamas and the group Islamic Jihad said they had taken at least 130 people hostage. According to media reports, the hostages also include citizens of other countries, including the U.S., Germany, and Thailand. Citizens of multiple countries were reportedly killed during the initial attack by Hamas fighters.

The Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv has reported that one Russian citizen has been killed in the conflict so far and that the mission has received requests from family members of nine Russians who the relatives have been unable to reach. Four of them have officially been declared missing.

On Monday evening, Hamas threatened to begin killing hostages in response to airstrikes launched by Israel without warning.