100 days in captivity: Tel Aviv rally demands return of Hamas hostages as CIA targets terrorist leaders
Thousands of protesters are voicing their plea to the government to bring their loved ones back home after enduring 100 days in Hamas captivity. The demonstrators gathered in front of the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, as reported by the Reuters agency.
5:43 AM EST, January 14, 2024
Close to the square, a mock tunnel constructed from concrete was unveiled, symbolizing the path of the hostages who remain captive in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian terrorists, as informed by the AFP agency.
"It's time to bring them back. Now! Bring them back!" declared Ronen Neutra, father of Omer, an kidnapped Israeli soldier, to Reuters agency. "They are held in horrendous conditions. They are starving," he added.
On October 7, Hamas and its allied groups invaded Israel, claiming about 1200 lives and abducting approximately 250 to the Gaza Strip. It is believed that 132 hostages are still in custody.
CIA's Special Task Force
The Israeli news service, Times of Israel, reported on Saturday that the US agency, CIA, has formed a special task force geared towards locating the leaders of Hamas and the hostages captured by Palestinian terrorists. The information collected is then relayed to Israel.
The portal, quoting "The New York Times," reveals that the US administration prefers that Israel refrains from engaging in total war with Hamas and instead focuses on eliminating top leaders. This strategy would reduce the number of civilian casualties in a conflict that has already spanned more than three months.
As per media reports, the US intelligence service has promoted Hamas from a low-priority fourth-tier status to an urgent second-tier status. The first tier is reserved for America's principal enemies, like Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China.
Has the US already provided information to Israel?
Reports indicate that the US has already begun feeding Israel with information regarding the whereabouts of the top leaders. However, the efficacy of these efforts is yet unclear, as no central leader in the Gaza Strip has been killed or captured to date.
This week, US officials corroborated prior reports that Yahya Sinwar, the commander of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, is ensconced deep within the tunnels dug by this terrorist group. However, the Israeli army can't strike him as he uses the hostages, kidnapped on October 7, as a human shield.
Some US officials argue that targeting low-level Hamas members is a mistake, citing their replaceability, according to a US newspaper account.
"Eliminating key figures, like Sinwar and Muhammad Deif, would probably provide Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with more latitude to conclude the military campaign in the Gaza Strip," according to the report, to which the CIA declined to comment.
