Israeli army confirms Hamas held 126 hostages following the attack

On Sunday, the Israeli army confirmed that the Islamic movement Hamas had taken 126 hostages during its surprise attack on Israel on October 7.

Richard Haight, the spokesperson for the Israeli army, stated that the number of hostages had been verified at 126, surpassing the numbers provided on Saturday when it was reported as 120.

Israel had initially estimated that Hamas was holding approximately 150 prisoners. 

However, on Saturday, Israeli authorities discovered bodies in locations targeted by the Islamic movement without specifying the exact number.

Officials have indicated that this number may rise in the upcoming days.

In response, Hamas claimed that 22 of their hostages had died due to intense Israeli bombardment in Gaza, though they did not provide clear evidence. 

They warned that they would retaliate against the hostages if the Israeli state continued to strike civilian targets without prior warning.