"We want them back": Kibbutz survivors call for release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza

Relatives from a kibbutz attacked by Hamas militants on Oct. 7 staged a protest outside Israel's Defence Ministry on Thursday, calling on the government to facilitate the safe return of 224 held in Gaza.

Kfar Aza, just 3 kilometres from the Gaza Strip, was among the communities hit the hardest by the Hamas assault on southern Israel on Oct.7, which left 1,400 dead in Israel. The Israeli military said on Thursday that the number of people confirmed held hostage in the Gaza Strip since the cross-border raids by Hamas had reached 224, and could rise further.

Israel has been bombarding the Hamas-run enclave since the attack, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed on Wednesday that it was "preparing for a ground invasion."

Hamas has threatened to kill some of the hostages it brought back to Gaza, of whom Israel said more than half hold foreign passports from 25 countries.

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